Australian spider that crushes its prey among species taking hold in New Zealand

Little humped spider usually found in Sydney is now thriving in Christchurch and is just one of dozens of invasive spider species

An Australian spider that crushes its prey in a tightly spun web is one of dozens of new trans-Tasman arrivals making itself at home in New Zealand, where it has few predators and often lives completely undetected.

The Philoponella congregabilis, sometimes called the little humped spider, is usually found in Sydney and along the east coast of Australia, but has recently been tracked to the South Island city of Christchurch, where it is thriving.