Katipos in Hundreds.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20232, 16 February 1934, Page 6

Katipos in Hundreds.

Venomous Spiders

Discovery at Bottle Lake Reserve. H UN DREDS of venomous spiders lurk under dried scrub which has been lying, on the sand at Bottle Lake Reserve since last year, when it was cut down. The katipo, New Zealand’s only dangerous spider, has found a warm, pleasant breeding place there, according to relief workers, who have recently made its acquaintance. The point about this discovery is, however, that the katipos are moving inland from the sea coast. Seven of the spiders, imprisoned in a medicine bottle, were brought into the “ Star ** office last night by a relief worker who was anxious to warn the public of the presence at the reserve of the katipos in large numbers. The seven that were shown to a representative of the “ Star ” were caught in less than twenty minutes. The katipo is widely distributed in Australia and New Zealand, In this country its haunts are generally found along the seashore under bushes and driftwood. The reserve where the relief men are working at Bottle Lake is from a quarter of a mile to half a mile from the sea, and the presence of the spiders at that distance from the shore indicates that they are moving inland in larger numbers than usual. Some time ago it was reported that they had been seen at Burwood. The spider has a jet-black skin with the lustre of fine satin, and a bright red stripe running down the full length of the abdomen. At the present time the spiders are breeding, and many nests have been found by the relief workers, who, since they were first warned to be on the lookout to avoid being bitten, have been most careful as to their movements. The reserve stretches from Waimairi to Brooklands, near the mouth of the Waimakariri River, and the katipos have been found throughout its length. Many people have heard of katipo spiders, but because they are a nocturnal species comparatively few have seen them. In order that residents may acquaint themselves and their children with the physical characteristics of the spiders, and thus be on their guard, a chemist in the city has undertaken to place some on display in his shop wundow in Cathedral Square.