New Zealand Spiders - Identification Chart

Fortunately, New Zealand isn’t home to many dangerous spiders. However, we do have a few species worth knowing about. Most spiders here are harmless and even beneficial, playing crucial roles in controlling insect populations. Below is an identification chart to help you learn about some of New Zealand’s spiders. All information is listed in a single column for easy reference.

Spider Names, Information & Photo

Katipō Spider (Latrodectus katipo)

• Small black spider with a distinctive red stripe on its back. The females are more noticeable due to their larger size.
• Where Found: Coastal areas, often under driftwood or in low-lying vegetation near sandy beaches.
• Facts: The Katipō is New Zealand’s only truly venomous spider. Bites are rare but can cause significant discomfort.

Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasseltii)

• Black spider with a red stripe running down its back, similar to the Katipō but slightly larger.
• Where Found: Mainly found in warmer regions, such as the North Island, often in sheltered urban environments.
• Facts: Originally from Australia, this spider is an introduced species. Its bite can be dangerous, though it is rarely fatal.

Tunnel web Spider (Hexathele spp.)

• Large, dark brown to black spider with robust legs and a thick, hairy body.
• Where Found: Forested areas and gardens, typically in burrows with a silk-lined tunnel.
• Facts: One of New Zealand’s largest spiders, but its bite, while painful, is not dangerous to humans.

Sheetweb Spider (Cambridgea spp.)

• Medium-sized spider with a slender body and long legs, often pale brown.
• Where Found: Forests, gardens, and near lights at night where they hunt for prey.
• Facts: Constructs horizontal sheet-like webs and is an active hunter. Non-aggressive and harmless to humans.

White Tail Spider (Lampona cylindrata)

• Medium-sized, dark brown spider with a distinctive white tip on the end of its abdomen.
• Where Found: Homes, gardens, and under bark or rocks. Common throughout New Zealand.
• Facts: Known for its reputation as a biter, but studies suggest bites rarely cause severe reactions.

Garden Orb web Spider (Eriophora pustulosa)

• Medium-sized spider with a round abdomen, often with intricate patterns. Colours range from brown to grey.
• Where Found: Gardens, forests, and anywhere with vegetation to support their orb-shaped webs.
• Facts: Harmless to humans and an excellent natural pest controller.

Jumping Spider (Trite spp.)

• Small, compact spider with large eyes, often black or brown with white markings.
• Where Found: Found throughout New Zealand in gardens, walls, and even inside homes.
• Facts: Known for its excellent vision and ability to leap long distances to catch prey. Harmless to humans.

Daddy Long Legs (Pholcidae spp.)

• Long, thin legs with a small body, often light brown or grey.
• Where Found: Common in homes, sheds, and other sheltered areas.
• Facts: Not considered dangerous to humans despite urban myths. They help control populations of other insects and spiders.

Scorpion Spider (Arachnura feredayi)

• Small spider with a distinctive tail-like appendage resembling a scorpion's sting.
• Where Found: Bushes, shrubs, and gardens across New Zealand.
• Facts: Completely harmless to humans and uses its unique appearance for camouflage.

Nelson Cave Spider (Spelungula cavernicola)

• Physical Details: One of New Zealand's largest spiders, with a leg span of up to 13 cm and a body length of about 3 cm.
• Where Found: Restricted to caves in the Nelson region.
• Facts: This spider is considered a relict species, meaning it has survived from an earlier period with little change. It is harmless to humans.

Avondale Spider (Delena cancerides)

• Physical Details: A large, flat-bodied spider with a leg span up to 15 cm. Brown to grey in colour.
• Where Found: Introduced from Australia, commonly found in the Avondale region and other parts of New Zealand.
• Facts: Known for its social behaviour, living in large family groups under bark or in crevices. Harmless to humans and was famously used in the movie "Arachnophobia."

Black Tunnelweb Spider (Porrhothele antipodiana)

• Physical Details: Robust, dark-colored spider with a body length up to 3 cm.
• Where Found: Widespread throughout New Zealand, often in gardens and forests.
• Facts: Constructs silk-lined burrows with radiating trip lines to detect prey. While its bite can be painful, it is not dangerous to humans.

Slater Spider (Dysdera crocata)

• Physical Details: Medium-sized spider with a reddish-brown cephalothorax and a greyish abdomen. Notable for its large, forward-facing fangs.
• Where Found: Common in gardens and under logs or stones throughout New Zealand.
• Facts: Specializes in preying on slaters (woodlice). Its bite is harmless to humans.

Nursery web Spider (Dolomedes minor)

• Physical Details: Large, brown spider with a body length up to 2 cm and a leg span up to 7 cm.
• Where Found: Common near water bodies, such as streams and ponds, across New Zealand.
• Facts: Known for its unique hunting method, it can walk on water and catch aquatic prey. Constructs nursery webs for its offspring. Harmless to humans.

Two-Spined Spider (Poecilopachys australasia)

• Physical Details: Small spider with a distinctive triangular abdomen featuring two prominent spines. Coloration varies but often includes white, yellow, and black patterns.
• Where Found: Common in urban gardens and forests throughout New Zealand.
• Facts: Builds small orb webs and is active during the night. Harmless to humans.

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New Zealand is home to a very diverse range of spider species with over 1,100 described and an estimated total of around 2,000 species. Approximately 97% of these are endemic, meaning nowhere else in the world which is pretty cool.

If you want to investigate a spider that you’ve found and it isn't on this list don’t hesitate to give us a call or an email, for more details visit our contact page. 

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