Our Changing World – Redback spider trap

Australian redback spiders found their way to New Zealand in the 1980s.  

These dangerously venomous spiders are now found in Central Otago and New Plymouth, where they pose a risk to both people and our native endangered species. 

To control these invasive spiders, a team of scientists at Plant & Food Research is working on a cunning trap.  

It's a targeted, environmentally friendly alternative to pesticides. 

But first, to get the trap working, the scientists need to enlist the help of the spiders themselves. 

We join Ellen Rykers in the lab as she meets Dr Andrew Twidle and 800 redback spiders.