Spiders
Spiders are a crucial concern for homeowners in New Zealand, where various species can invade living spaces, causing both discomfort and health worries. Effective spider pest control ensures a safe, pest-free environment, alleviating the anxiety associated with spider infestations.
Flick Pest Control offers comprehensive pest management solutions tailored to meet the needs of New Zealand residents. Our services focus on both immediate relief and long-term treatments for spider control, ensuring complete eradication of unwanted creatures. Utilising environmentally friendly methods, Flick’s team assesses vulnerabilities in your home, applying strategic interventions that target the source of infestations.
When it comes to controlling New Zealand spiders, Flick Pest Control is committed to delivering effective results. Protect your home today with our expert pest control solutions designed to keep you safe against spider invasions.
How to Identify Spiders
To identify New Zealand’s spider species, start by examining their distinct features. Common types include the native Araneae, notable for their medium-sized bodies and patterned legs, typically found in gardens or forests. The common house spider, with its brownish colouration and round abdomen, is often located in homes, while the intimidating white-tail spider is identifiable by its darker body with a white mark on its tail end, usually lurking in leaf litter.
Differentiate between web-building spiders, like orb weavers with their structured, circular webs, and hunting spiders, such as wolf spiders, characterised by their robust bodies and quick, agile movements. Web-builders tend to stay in one location, while running spiders are often found in open areas, actively searching for prey.
It is essential to note that most of New Zealand’s over 2000 spider species are harmless to humans, making arachnophobes more at ease with these fascinating creatures. Understanding these identification cues will help in recognising the diverse and mostly benign spider species inhabiting New Zealand.
Preventative Measures for Spiders
To effectively prevent spiders in your home, it is important to implement several key strategies. First, keep garden beds at a distance from your house, as this reduces the chances of spiders migrating indoors. Regularly trim vegetation and remove any overgrown plants to minimise hiding spots for these pests.
Additionally, ensure that all entry points, such as gaps around doors and windows, are properly sealed to prevent spider access.
An essential part of spider prevention is the regular removal of webs. Cleaning them frequently not only reduces spider populations but also deters new ones from settling in. Securely store outdoor items, like tools and toys, to minimise attractions that might invite spiders into your area.
When gardening, always wear protective gear such as gloves and long sleeves. This not only protects against spider bites but also keeps you vigilant about your surroundings. Finally, limit outdoor lighting at night, as bright lights attract insects which are a food source for spiders, thus helping to keep their numbers in check. By incorporating these measures, you’ll create a less inviting environment for spiders in and around your home.
How Spiders Are Treated
Flick Pest Control effectively manages spider populations in New Zealand through targeted spider treatment strategies, including outdoor and indoor barrier sprays. These barrier sprays are meticulously applied around the perimeter of homes, doorways, windows, and other entry points to create a protective shield, preventing spiders from entering and establishing infestations.
To maximise treatments, the application focuses on areas where spiders are commonly found, such as basements, garages, and attics. Regular treatments help disrupt the spider lifecycle, significantly reducing the chances of a new infestation.
Addressing spider infestations early is crucial for effective infestation control. By identifying and treating signs of spider activity promptly, homeowners can prevent larger problems later. Additionally, maintaining a clean environment is vital in household pest management; removing debris and clutter limits spider hiding spots and reduces their food sources, such as insects.
Commercial Pest Solutions
Integrated Spider Solutions
It is essential for businesses to prioritise the health and safety of their employees and customers. Spiders not only pose a health risk but also damage property and reputation. Flick’s professional commercial pest control services provide tailored solutions to prevent and eliminate any pest infestations, ensuring a clean and hygienic environment for everyone. Our regular inspections and treatments help to maintain a pest-free workplace and protect your business from potential pest related damage. Trusting in Flick’s commercial pest control solutions is a smart investment in the long-term success and reputation of any business.
Learn more here or call 0800 710 010.
Common Spider Questions
How do spiders reproduce?
When a spider lays eggs, it does so in a silken sac. About a hundred eggs are contained in each sac (this varies with the species). The sac may be carried by the female either attached to an object, hidden in a web, or on her body. Seeing a spider with a sac attached to it is a sure sign that additional spiders are on the way.
Which spiders can kill you?
Funnel-Webs and Redbacks are two deadliest spider species. Since the introduction of anti-venom injections about 40 years ago, neither of these spiders has been responsible for a fatality. If either species is threatened, however, particularly a male funnel-web, it can become hostile. Be cautious around these spiders and contact a local Flick technician if you come across one.
What other spiders are dangerous?
A bite from any number of spider species can be painful and result in swelling. This includes the White-tailed spider, the Mouse spider, and the Trap-door spider. They won’t bother you unless you make noise that attracts their attention, as they have little to no interest in humans. Spiders of any kind should be approached with caution, especially if their identification is in question.
How do I control a spider infestation?
Whether the spiders you’re dealing with are webbing, crawling, or lethal, Flick has a solution for you. The safety of your home and family is our top priority, and you can trust our pest control specialists to deliver. You can enjoy your property without being bothered by spider webs by interrupting their ability to reproduce.
Should I try and completely eliminate spiders?
Actually, that’s not always the case. Spiders play a key role in maintaining ecological balance. Spiders prey on insects like moths, flies, and caterpillars that can be a nuisance in the garden. Spiders are dangerous, but you shouldn’t underestimate how much they fear you.
Common Spider Species
Garden Orb Spider
Apppearance
Hairy, trapezoidal, and plump body. Male: 5-10mm; female: 20-25mm. The colours range from light white to grey to dark brown, with spots, stripes, and patches as patterning.
Lifestyle
The web of a Garden Orb spider is typically very noticeable and positioned between low trees, shrubs, or structures. Due to their ugliness, they can upset homeowners. Despite being calm, these spiders can bite, causing slight discomfort, nausea, dizziness, and swelling in the bite area. For assistance with an infestation, contact your local Flick technician.
Habits
Webbing spiders like the Garden Orb are very popular in gardens. The spider relocates to an elevated retreat during the day and may congregate behind overhanging and foliage. You might occasionally be surprised by it hidden among the laundry! At night, they occupy the centre of their webs.
Funnel Web Spider
Apppearance
Shiny, dark brown to black, with spinnerets that resemble fingers and spin silk at the end of the abdomen. show their impressive fangs when threatened.
Lifestyle
They might wander into suburbs and get stuck there. They might even take shelter in a shoe! Their bites are harmful, thus first aid should be administered straight away, along with immobilisation and a pressure bandage. A neurotoxin in the venom damages the human nerve system. However, since antivenom was created, there have been no fatalities. Patients need to be taken right away to the hospital.
Habits
Both urban areas and forests include funnel-webs. Anywhere they can find a cool, humid environment, they take refuge behind logs, rocks, and other objects. They will quickly leave when they discover prey because they eat snails, lizards, beetles, and cockroaches. They surround their burrow with silken strands that trip up their prey.
Red Back Spider
Apppearance
The upper abdomen of female Redback spiders has a conspicuous orange-red longitudinal stripe. They have an area on the bottom that is ‘hourglass’ shaped. The male’s markings are less prominent and paler.
Lifestyle
Redback spiders typically eat insects, while they may also eat other spiders and tiny reptiles. Although they do not make their own webs, male Redbacks can be seen on the edge of a female’s web. Only the female bite is lethal, and the majority of males do not survive the deadly mating procedure. Redback spider bites are common in the summer, but unless a hand is placed directly into the web, people are unlikely to be bitten. There is an antivenom available.
Habits
The structure of a Redback spider’s web is a twisted funnel from which vertical, sticky strands emerge. They prefer to build their webs in dry, protected areas adjacent to populated areas. Usually found in the outdoors, although occasionally they may include sheds and restrooms! In the summer, they are more frequent.
White Tail Spider
Apppearance
Males are 5-8mm in size and females are cylindrical in shape. Their bodies are grey or black with multiple white patches on the back and a white tip on the end.
Lifestyle
These spiders prefer to eat other spiders like Daddy Long Legs, Redback, and Black House Spiders than eating insects and weaving webs. Although they are not aggressive, they will bite instantly and frequently if threatened. Their bites can result in headaches, pain, and itching, as well as redness and blisters at the bitten area.
Habits
White-tail spiders seek for insects by crawling. They can be found all over New Zealand and Australia, and they enjoy hiding under rocks, tree bark, leaves, and other coverings. They frequently break into houses in quest of food, and at night they can be seen hiding on walls.
Huntsman
Apppearance
Body: 2.5 cm Around 12.7 cm for the legs (can be longer). Hairy and a little flattened, with two rows of four eyes.
Lifestyle
Huntsmen come out at night to look for food, and they may come into houses in bad weather or when they are starving. Because of their size and hairy exterior, they frequently startle spider haters! Bites do not usually result in fatalities, though. They are considered beneficial to the ecosystem since they eat other insects.
Habits
The huntsman spider can readily move sideways because to its large legs and is a crawling and hunting spider. They are often non-aggressive and would rather flee from danger than engage in combat. They take shelter in a warm, wet hiding place or beneath bark.
I found Spiders! Help!
Don't worry, we're here to help. Follow these steps to stay safe until help arrives!
Call a Professional
Call Flick Pest Control Immediately.
If you encounter spiders in your home or business, you may be dealing with an infestation. Don’t wait until the problem gets out of hand – we can help protect your property and ensure the health and safety of those around you. Fill out the form below or call 0800 710 010 today.
Leave the Spiders Alone
Trust Flick Pest Control to handle the situation
Our pest control technicians have the knowledge, experience, and tools necessary to effectively and safely eliminate pests from your home or business. Attempting to treat spiders on your own can be risky and may not fully eradicate the problem.
We will and ensure a safe and effective outcome for your property.
There May be More!
Don’t Go Looking Around!
Flick’s pest control experts will perform a thorough inspection of the property to identify any areas where spiders may be present, followed by the development of a treatment plan tailored to the specific needs of the situation. By implementing effective pest control strategies, we can help ensure a pest-free environment for you.