KATIPO NUMEROUS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 14, 1 February 1937, Page 7

KATIPO NUMEROUS

Many Found at Ocean Beach TEN IN TEN MINUTES A novel, if dangerous sport, was indulged in by a Hastings resident and his son at Ocean Beach yesterday af tornoon when they went katipo hunting and f their "bag" was an astounding one, revealing an alarming prevalence of New Zea'Jand's only poisonons spider in this district. It was shortly after luucheon that, Mr C. G. Wilkinson's attentioh was drawn by his 12-year-old son to a katipo, they being keenly interested in entomology. A ten-minute search revealed ten of the spiders, which were found under stones and washed-up pieces of rotting- wood in the rough vegetation between the pastures and the beach itself. Mr Wilkinson had no difficulty in identifying the spiders as katipo for he was acquainted with the specie, having first seen one about 20 years ago. More recently, some two or three years ago, a friend in Christchurch sent one to his son for inelusion in the private col* ieetion. TJpon comixig across yerterday 's find Mr Wilkinson hnd his family immediately issued a warning to the many people that wero visiting th.8 beach, there being a number of children runuing about in bare feet. It is evident that f requenter-s .to Ocean Beach would be well advised to take every preeaution as to the selection of the sito of their picnic sport and also make sure that the children 's feet are covered. The katipo is exelusively a native of New Zealand, and its bite is very dangerous, having on occaeions proved fatal. It is rather an attractive insect tn appearanee as insects go, being blaek in colour with a vivid scarlet streak on the baek. The majority of those found yesterday were well-grown specimens, their bodies being about the size of a well-developed sweet pea