Redbacks ‘now widespread’

Press, 14 April 1984, Page 1

Redbacks ‘now widespread’

PA Napier While containers from an Australian freighter, were isolated for fumigation in Napier yesterday after the discovery of an infestation of poisonous redback spiders, a Ministry quarantine officer said the insects were arriving in ships so regularly that they- were now “widespread” throughout the country. The regional quarantine officer for the Ministry of Agriculture in Auckland, Mr Travis Flint, said yesterday that one of his officers had found redbacks on containers, off-loaded at Auckland this week. “It is not uncommon. They are coming in so regularly they are now widespread throughout New Zealand. We don’t class them as economic pests. There is no high about redbacks. “They are of concern from a public health point of view, but not from an agricultural viewpoint.” But Napier quarantine officers were angry yester-

day that the ship, the Iron Duke, owned by 8.H.P., Ltd, had arrived in the port twice in a month infested with redbacks. They had also been found when it berthed on March 16. This time, there was “wide infestation”, in containers, including eggs, according to the senior quarantine officer in Napier, Mr Alistair Bland. He said he was concerned and disappointed that the freighter, which had sailed from Port Kembla, had again been-found to have an infestation. He said, however, that the Ministry could only inform the shipping company of the problem — “We can’t force an overseas company to take precautions.” Seven bolsters — collapsible containers — were immediately put under wraps for fumigation when the spiders were seen. Thirty-three general purpose containers have been ring-sprayed to prevent them spreading, pending the arrival of pest control

officers from Auckland on Monday. Several other species of spiders were also discovered on the containers, packed with tin plate: Specimens will be sent to the diagnostic centre in Levin. A spokesman for the shipping agents, Seatrans Consolidated N.Z., Ltd, said a report on the infestation would be sent to the owners, by both the agent and the ship’s master. A report on the previous infestation would also have been sent to 8.H.P., Ltd. A Ministry circular on the redbacks says they are being intercepted with increasing frequency, and the possibility of the spider becoming'established in New Zealand was of great concern. The bite of the female is poisonous to humans and fatal to some. The redback is related to the deadly black widow spider of America, and even more closely related to the katipo spider of New Zealand.