[kirkandliz]

My OH is a bit paranoid about bugs, spiders, sandflys etc and being fairly new to these forums she has been a bit caught out by all the threads detailing big bug problems!

We would be looking to move to the Wellington area so the question is - what do have to look out for and are any area's/suberbs particuarly worse then others?

I spent some time around the Hawkes Bay area an number of years ago and never had any problems but thought I'd check to see if there was anything to watch out for around Wellington?

Wouldn't be a show stopper - unless someone said that dinner plate sized spiders were a bit of a pain - but it would be handy to know especially with a young family in tow

[sizzlingbadger]

Nothing too major to write about. Do get the odd large (and I mean large) spider around. Not sure if you will get Cicadas in the summer, just very noisy bugs that like the sun and heat, the Wairarapa had loads last summer.

Get sandflies on most beaches but just as long as you put repellant on you'll be fine. Also had a couple of encounters with cockroaches.

I'm absolutely terrified of spiders but I've seen a lot less of them here than the UK, just about cope with bugs just not the cockroaches :uhoh

[Smiler]

The dinner plate sized spiders are a huge problem here............................................


NOT! :D

Check out Moorf's thread on creppy crawlies. The spiders here seem bigger than Uk but that comes from someone who'll run a mile at a money spider so probably not a sensible opinion.

Seriously, I got a cicada in my hair and panicked, it probably did more than me though, they are noisy more than anything. Sandflies have nasty bites get a good replellant and you can have Spiderban come and do the house if you want. I find a can of raid works just as well and one of those tennis racquet electric thingwees works well and is great exercise.

[Questor]

I want a Weta!!

OK I know I'm a bit weird, but I think they're ace and I'd be quite happy to have em in the garden! (Or any cool insect like Praying Mantises etc. :) )

We've not had any problems with bugs either - the only thing we've found are a few spiders that look more like Cranefly (Daddy Long Legs) cos their legs are long and wispy - definitely spiders though :)

[Carol]

Weta's are VERY cool!!!
But beware of them hiding in your shoes/boots!!!

:eek:

[Debbie P.]

I'm absolutely terrified of spiders but I've seen a lot less of them here than the UK

You don't know how happy you've just made me! :cheers

I'm also terrified of spiders, but no other insect bothers me at all. I know, it's stupid... Having just had to deal with my first HUGE house spider of the year, I'm pleased to hear that you don't get overrun there.

Is it just me or have house spiders in the UK suddenly got a lot larger? Just this year and last year I've noticed it.

[zardell]

Is it just me or have house spiders in the UK suddenly got a lot larger? Just this year and last year I've noticed it.





No, Its not just you.....the ones I've run away from have been HUGE :exit


Julie

xx

ps
:D Hope you're reading this Jules !!

[Jules]

:laugh :laugh

[browner_]

I dont think you have to worry too much about bugs, Wellington is not tropical!

Can't say I have noticed sandflies being a problem anywhere around here, even in the height of summer.

Generally, I would say that that houses have far fewer and smaller spiders than houses in the UK. I have ONCE seen a massive huntsman type spider in someones garage (not mine thankfully) and squished it before I could find out what it was, but it was the size of my hand and very hairy.

The only spider that is a nuisance is the white-tail, and these definitely are hanging around in certain Wellington suburbs, most suburbs probably.
White-tails are supposedly non-poisonous but people often develop very nasty reactions to bites - the spiders probably carry infections that they pass on. I have my house sprayed every year (costs about $100), and the only white-tails I now see are dead ones.

[ellenmelon]

Weta's are VERY cool!!!
But beware of them hiding in your shoes/boots!!!

:eek:

oh my god, i just had a flash back to when i was small..where i lived when i was younger, we had some land that was mostly native bush and it was habit to check our gumboots/sneakers for weta's and any other creepy crawlies that might have made a home there. then when i was 12 i moved to the "big city" and became a great big wuss when it came to bugs!!

[sarahw]

Yeah beware of kamikazie wetas jumping in your spa pool whilst you're in it!! It happened last summer after trying to stop him twice before we got in - it was obviously on a mission! wouldn't recommend it!!

Weta's aren't a problem - lovely creatures.

Sandflies are only where there is water, but after the first year you seem to build up an immunity to them - I got bitten about 15 times the first year and heck did they hurt, but last year I had one bite & it wasn't really that bad.

Whitetails (spiders) we do get (have been bitten - ankle ballooned like an egg but was only for a couple of days) - saw one scampering through the house the other day too. Spiders aren't bad - I'm married to the world's wussiest man when it comes to spiders & there's nothing he can't handle here.

Stick insects are cute!! First time ever seeing them in the wild was here in NZ & they're really funny to watch.

Recommend a cat if you don't like bugs - they pretty much take care of them all... although they also take care of skinks (not so good since some species are endangered) and mice - lovely!!)

[Carol]

oh my god, i just had a flash back to when i was small..where i lived when i was younger, we had some land that was mostly native bush and it was habit to check our gumboots/sneakers for weta's and any other creepy crawlies that might have made a home there. !!


All you folks still in the UK - here's an enterprise for you!
Bring as many of these out as you can and sell them on Trade Me!
http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/solutions/bargains!20514

:nice1
P.S. Can you let me have some at cost though?:p

[Smiler]

All you folks still in the UK - here's an enterprise for you!
Bring as many of these out as you can and sell them on Trade Me!
http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/solutions/bargains!20514 (http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/solutions/bargains%2120514)

:nice1
P.S. Can you let me have some at cost though?:p


Love 'em. :clap

OH is now building me some out of yoghurt pots and takeaway cartons. :uhoh

[KerryS]

Love 'em. :clap

OH is now building me some out of yoghurt pots and takeaway cartons. :uhoh

Waaaah - can't wait to see them! You'll have to post a pic when he's done...

[jess]

As sarahw says those little stick insects are cute! I see them around, but the other day one crawled down onto my glasses while I was in the grocery store. Looked huge until I took off my glasses and saw it was only a little green stick bug moving really slowly! Had a man laugh at me when I took it out of the grocery and put it on a bush outside.

Spiders about the same size as the US or smaller. Ants were the main thing at the rental - got into every room no matter how clean. Not a problem in our new home thank goodness.

Snails -- that's what I run into at night. A dozen snails moving across the patio.

[Smiler]

I don't want to google this incase I get nasty pics of the beastie, :o but can someone tell me what a hoho or hoohoo :confused: beetle is please?

Is it man eating size or will I scare it if I go boo! What does it do, bite, fly etc.

[jess]

:) Smiler you can safely read the 1966 encyclopedia entry (http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/H/HuhuBeetle/HuhuBeetle/en) on the huhu beetle with no pics (unless you click on images, and even then you just get a drawing). Not too bad, although I have heard it can make cats sick if they eat them.

[Carol]

Apparantly they are quite nice grilled on the bbq!















:laugh

[Smiler]

:) Smiler you can safely read the 1966 encyclopedia entry (http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/H/HuhuBeetle/HuhuBeetle/en) on the huhu beetle with no pics (unless you click on images, and even then you just get a drawing). Not too bad, although I have heard it can make cats sick if they eat them.

Jess you are a star, thanks.

I didn't look at the drawing but read it first as 35 cm long in my haste though. :eek:

They sound like stag beetles (which I hate after a small incident when was a child) The new rental has fly screens all round (but don't tell Avalon :D) so hopefully they'll stay outside.

And OH has just windered what they taste like? Chicken ?

[Moorf]

Peanut butter yoghurt... apparently.... :o

[Smiler]

Peanut butter yoghurt... apparently.... :o

He'll love that then, he's just polished off peanut butter on toast with tomato ketchup. Blerghhhh!!!!!!

[Moorf]

Ewwww G!!!

So he'll be sending you to Moore Wilson's for a kg of grubs then!! :exit

[kiwidebs]

All you folks still in the UK - here's an enterprise for you!
Bring as many of these out as you can and sell them on Trade Me!
http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/solutions/bargains!20514

:nice1
P.S. Can you let me have some at cost though?:p


And I can't live without my one of these

http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/!20455 :nice1

Debs

[Carol]

:clap :laugh

[Moorf]

Ohh I want one - it also catches flies and wasps in flight!! Entertainment AND handy.... :laugh

[Smiler]

OH says that is called a 'pooter'. It's a big version of a scientific instrument for sampling insects without damaging them.

I can't write the gory details :eek: but it involves sucking up insects via tubes with your mouth :wah:wah

[Carol]

euuuuuuuuuuuugh!!!!!!!

Worse than mouth pipetting in wet chemistry!
(not done that for a while now!!)

[markynz]

mmm..got to tell you about this then.
We came over touring last year ( we're now here ) and we visited waitomo caves. Part of it was a bit of a tramp on one of the local tracks. There was an excellent open cave there and as you do, I went exporing a bit. Anyway, I stuck my head into this bit of a hole in the wall and shone my torch round. I'll tell you, I've never seen such huge spiders as were in there. If anyone can shed light on what they were I'll be interested to hear. Basically there were 3 of them grouped together as far as I could see. Each one was probably as large as a side plate or maybe bigger than a saucer. They had relativedly small bodies ( about the same size as a large UK wolf spider ), but the legs were just massive. Like a daddy long legs, thin and long.
I've never run so fast in years I've got to admit ( what a wuss ).

Anyone ?

[Moorf]

Cave spider? It's NZ's largest...

http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/English/CollectionsAndResearch/Collections/InsectsSpidersAndSimilar/Spiders/Spiders_Web/What/Nelsoncave.htm

[markynz]

it could have been... although it says they are found only in the Nelson ( great ) and buller regions.
<shudder>