is there red back spiders in new zealand
Redback spider The redback spider (Latrodectus hasseltii) is a species of highly venomous spider believed to originate in the South Australian or adjacent Western Australian deserts, but now found throughout Australia, Southeast Asia and New Zealand, with colonies elsewhere outside Australia.[2] It is a member of the cosmopolitan genus Latrodectus, the widow spiders. The adult female is easily recognised by her spherical black body with a prominent red stripe on the upper side of her abdomen and an hourglass-shaped red/orange streak on the underside. Females usually have a body length of about 10 millimetres (0.4 in), while the male is much smaller, being only 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long.
Tarantula hawk Worldwide distribution of tarantula hawks includes areas from India to Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, and the Americas. Tarantula hawk species have been observed from as far north as Logan, Utah, in the United States, and south as far as Argentina in South America, with at least 250 species living in South America.[5] Eighteen species of Pepsis and three species of Hemipepsis are found in the United States,[6] primarily in the deserts of the southwestern United States, with Pepsis grossa (formerly Pepsis formosa)[7] and Pepsis thisbe being common.[citation needed] The two species are difficult to distinguish, but the majority of P. grossa has metallic blue bodies and reddish antennae, which separates them from P. thisbe. Both species have bright orange wings that become transparent near the tip.