Redbacks found in baggage
Five Australian redback spiders coming into Christchurch Airport in baggage from Queensland were found recently by Ministry of Agriculture quarantine officers.
The Ministry’s supervising quarantine officer, Mr John Burton, said the spiders were in unaccompanied baggage and a car that a passenger brought into New Zealand about three weeks ago.
Insecticide was used to fumigate the car and all the spiders were destroyed.
Redback spiders, which have a venomous bite, were now commonly found in small numbers in cargo from Australia, Mr Burton said. The rise in the number of discoveries could probably be linked to the increase in trade between Australia and New Zealand, he said. Quarantine officers destroyed as many of the spiders as they could because no-one wanted to see redbacks established in New Zealand.
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Press, 13 March 1985, Page 3
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132Redbacks found in baggage Press, 13 March 1985, Page 3
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