White tail spiders.

[Debbie]

Is it usual for White tails to make their way indoors more regularly at this time of yr?
We have always had a few outside, (apparently it because we have a cedar house, they love all the little nooks and crannies). However, this last fortnight we have had 4 in the house. Last night OH tried to catch one off our bedroom ceiling and dropped it on the bed!!!!
If they are likely to go on their merry way once we get to summer I'll leave well enough alone, otherwise more drastic action will need to be taken!!!!.

Debbie

[Moorf]

Do you have many spiders of other varieties in the house? I believe they do like to lunch on other spiders (black house spiders I think) so to keep them out we keep all spiders out... I find more spiders indoors from now until end of the Autumn than the rest of the year. Reminds me, better top up the Robocans...

[sizzlingbadger]

We've just sprayed the outside of our house with Mortein (think that's how you spell it ) As we've had quite a few white tails inside and out. Since spraying the outside they've all come out, seems we had more than we originally thought

This is the first time we've come across them since being in NZ. Can you imagine the reaction when sitting down for a family meal outside and a white tail wandering across the table Me and the kids moved very quickly while hubby was sat there asking what all the fuss was about. Didn't believe me until we looked the spider up on a search engine That's what bought about a very quick spraying of the outside the next day !

[Smiler]

Our neighbours all wipe their window frames with Mortein or similar on a rag. Seems to do the trick for them too.

Sizz, did you spray the house yourself or get a company in? Did you have any adverse effects?

[sizzlingbadger]

OH sprayed it, no adverse affects so far We haven't sprayed the inside, I find I'm pretty sensitive to certain chemicals, like the Robocan unnatural one made my asthama really bad So we'll leave it and see how we go, should do the trick though as we haven't seen any spiders inside since

They sell the stuff in Pak n Shove so it can't be too lethal.

[Smiler]

OH sprayed it, no adverse affects so far We haven't sprayed the inside, I find I'm pretty sensitive to certain chemicals, like the Robocan unnatural one made my asthama really bad So we'll leave it and see how we go, should do the trick though as we haven't seen any spiders inside since

They sell the stuff in Pak n Shove so it can't be too lethal.

Ooh thanks. I was worried about the effects as I'm affected by certain chemicals too. Mr Muscle and that Spray and Wipe stuff make me really wheezy.

I'll look in Countdown or Mitre 10 first, if not I'll have to brave Pak and Scratch which normally brings me out in a rash anyway.

[Debbie]

Do you have many spiders of other varieties in the house? I believe they do like to lunch on other spiders (black house spiders I think) so to keep them out we keep all spiders out... I find more spiders indoors from now until end of the Autumn than the rest of the year. Reminds me, better top up the Robocans...

No other spiders at all, (white tails eat them all!!).
It could be that there is another, totally harmless black spider with a thin cigar shape body and white tip to its tail about the size of an adults thumb nail that I am mistaking for a white tail and needlessly squashing.
DOes this sound like a white tail to you? I'm only going on the picture in my sons bug book.
Debbie

[Familyofmonkeys]

This worried me for a minute. House we are in has loads of spiders...don't pay much attention to them as have never been bothered by spiders.

Found this: http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/re...white_tail.asp

A White-tail bite is immediately painful. It is usually possible to catch the perpetrator easily, since the spider has poor eyesight, and its identity can then be confirmed. It should be noted that cases of confirmed White-tail spider bites have rarely resulted in anything more severe than a red mark and localised, short-lived pain.

As with bee/wasp stings different people will react in different ways.

Hopefully not too bad then

[Moorf]

No other spiders at all, (white tails eat them all!!).
It could be that there is another, totally harmless black spider with a thin cigar shape body and white tip to its tail about the size of an adults thumb nail that I am mistaking for a white tail and needlessly squashing.
DOes this sound like a white tail to you? I'm only going on the picture in my sons bug book.
Debbie

Sounds about right - when I first saw one I thought "is that IT?" - they're quite "flat" to the ground, too, haven't seen one for yonks...

There's a bit of an urban myth in NZ that whitetails cause your skin to necro'wotsited- eats away skin - but I'm assured it's not true...

[Debbie]

Yep the large one found in the shed (picture from link) looks about right. What I noticed was the 2 little stirrups on the end of a white tipped tail. The ones we have had in the house have been particularly fast (when chased with a wodge of tissue for squashing) and have raised their tails when hacked off.
We have loads of spiders all over the out side of the house, (good food for them I suppose). Time for a house wash then. Can anyone recommend a company in Auckland area?

Debbie