It is not just people who have enjoyed a long, hot summer — white-tail spiders are thriving in the Taieri and exterminators are flat out dealing with infestations.
Temperatures have to reach 20degC-plus for whitetails to lay eggs, and with Dunedin’s January mean temperature being 3degC above average, spider numbers were on the rise, Adrian Adamson, of Summit Pest Management, said.
‘‘We have had more callouts than normal for them,’’ he said.
‘‘Over summer we usually have a spike in them, but this summer it’s been more so than other years.’’
While-tails, also known as the linen spider, are slim grey spiders with a distinctive white-tipped tail.
They have a painful bite which can lead to infections.
White-tails are most commonly found on the Taieri due to temperatures on the plain being warmer than other Dunedin suburbs.
However, consistent 20degC-plus temperatures might see the spiders fancy a move into town, Mr Adamson said.
‘‘I’m unsure if it’s a South Island-wide thing but we do tend to get more white-tail callouts in Mosgiel than Dunedin.
‘‘Mosgiel is in a basin so you get more protection from the wind and the temperatures are a couple of degrees warmer.’’
White-tails were a difficult spider to treat but could be eradicated, Mr Adamson said.
‘‘They are a sole, roaming spider — you might find them in a room, but quite often you find them up in the eaves in ceilings, or other times they will randomly come in through a window or door.’’
