Noble false widow spider establishes presence in New Zealand

Wednesday 2 July 2025 · 3 outlets · 3 reports · updated Wed 2 Jul 2025, 12:39pm

In this story Massey University

The noble false widow spider has been confirmed as living in New Zealand. First spotted in Porirua last year, the invasive species has since been seen in Christchurch, Nelson, and Waikato. Ecologists are asking the public to report sightings of the spider.

How they headlined it

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7:45am11:39am

1. RNZWed 2 Jul 2025, 7:45am

   New venomous spider makes New Zealand home (opens in new tab)

2. NZ HeraldWed 2 Jul 2025, 11:39am

   Venomous false widow spider spreads across New Zealand (opens in new tab)

3. 1NewsWed 2 Jul 2025, 12:39pm

   How to identify NZ's latest spider arrival — the noble false widow (opens in new tab)