An Australian is the golden orb-weaver spider; it arrives in New Zealand by itself, 'ballooning' across the Tasman on its own home-made parachute—a sort of gossamer web, which it spins. It is rare for one of these spiders to get this far, as the 'balloon' usually carries the animal only about fifteen kilometres. However, now that the spider is in New Zealand, any young which she may be carrying in her egg-sac will be released. While it is large (twelve centimetres from leg tip to leg tip) it is completely harmless and an interesting curiosity—unlike many uninvited plant and animal immigrants.

Golden orb-weaver spider.