Red translucent spider skin#

Take care when moving debris and plants on beaches. To avoid contact with the katipo wear footwear when walking on the beach and sand dunes where the spiders live. People may also experience sweating, difficulty in breathing and abdominal cramps. Typical symptoms of katipo bites include pain at the bite site, which may spread to other areas, becoming more intense over the next few hours. Katipo are found in coastal areas in both the North and South Islands as far south as Karitane and Greymouth.īecause of the katipo’s increasing rarity and non-aggressive nature bites are rare.

debris such as empty tin cans or bottles.

It makes its webs on warm sandy beaches and sand dunes under: The Katipo (meaning ‘night-stinger’ in Māori), a shy native spider, is on the decline in New Zealand due to changes in its habitat. Adult males and juveniles are black and white and smaller than the females. Katipo females ( Latrodectus katipo) have black rounded bodies with slender legs and a white-bordered red stripe on their back and a red hourglass mark underneath. Photo: The Otago Museum What do they look like?

you may wish to use a fly spray that claims to be effective on spiders to stun the spider before killing it and/or placing it in a sealed jar.

Try to capture the spider without endangering anybody and take it to the doctor or hospital with you, or describe it carefully for identification. With all suspected spider bites it is important to know which spider may have been responsible. If you are concerned contact the National Poisons Centre (0800 POISON / 0800 764 766) for advice.

place ice on the bite (not directly onto the skin) to reduce any pain or swelling.įor any suspected spider bite, see a doctor if the bite area becomes very red or painful, blisters, appears infected, or forms an ulcer.

clean the bite area with antiseptic or warm soapy water.

Red translucent spider skin#

If you suspect you have been bitten by a white-tailed spider only simple first aid is necessary, as with any puncturing of the skin, as these spiders do not cause skin damage or ulcers: What to do if you think you have been bitten by a white-tailed spider If it is, most reactions to the venom are moderate. Venom is not always introduced with the bite. Hospitals can provide safe and effective treatment. place ice on the bite (not directly onto the skin) prior to travelling.ĭo not panic as serious reactions are uncommon and unlikely to develop in less than three hours.clean the wound with antiseptic or warm soapy water.

Even if you do not immediately experience symptoms beyond the ‘pin prick’ of the bite you still need medical advice. If you suspect you have been bitten by a katipo or redback spider you need to seek urgent medical attention at your nearest hospital, medical centre or doctor. What to do if you think you have been bitten by a katipo or redback spider

Bites from both species are extremely rare and there is a safe and effective antivenom for both redback and katipo bites. In both species it is the adult females that are capable of biting humans. These two are the only spiders venomous to people in New Zealand. The katipo ( Latrodectus katipo) and the redback spider ( Latrodectus hasselti) belong to the same genus as the American black widow spider. There are three species of spiders in New Zealand that should be avoided – the Katipo, the Redback and the White-tailed Spider. Only some spiders are capable of biting humans. New Zealand is home to about 2500 kinds of spiders, most of them harmless to people. What to look out for and keeping yourself safe