What pests do Kiwis hate the most?

Cockroaches are the second-most hated pest. Photo / Getty Images

Young Kiwis are more afraid of insects than their older family members, while women remain more scared of the little critters than men.

A survey of more than 3,000 New Zealanders released by Canstar Blue yesterday, also shows that those who live in Auckland and Waikato are less likely to have been bitten by a spider, while Wellingtonians, together with Aucklanders, are more likely to feel a bit of remorse after killing them.

Overall, it showed that spiders were the most disliked critter, with 40 per cent hating them, while nearly a quarter of Kiwis - 24 per cent - have been bitten by one.

Cockroaches are the second-most hated pest with 39 per cent reporting a dislike of them, followed moths at a distant third on 9 per cent.

Forty per cent of people said the best way to deal with a pest was whacking it with a newspaper or magazine, followed by fly swat, 33 per cent, and shoo 25 per cent.

Canstar New Zealand general manager Jose George said despite having good reason to hate bugs, one fifth of New Zealanders had a conscience and felt guilty seeing the insects suffering after spraying them.

As for mosquitos, 36 per cent of women claim to have been bitten by them compared to just 21 per cent of men with Aucklanders the mostly likely of the regions to be hassled by the bloodsuckers.

Otago residents were most likely to have been bitten by a spider, 32 per cent, followed by 31 per cent of those in the Bay of Plenty and 25 per cent of Cantabrians.

Young people were more likely to be afraid of insects than their parents or grandparents.

An unscientific survey carried out by the Herald on several Hamilton people, revealed they're a hearty bunch in the Waikato with none spoken to very scared of bugs.

Hamilton receptionist Marissa Morris isn't bothered by any of the insects. She has more of a problem with rats and mice.

"If it was a rodent you wouldn't see me for dust. I don't even really like guinea pigs, even they're a bit rodenty, and rabbits are borderline. But otherwise I'm pretty brave."

If she saw a cockroach wandering around her house she'd shoe it outside, but didn't have any qualms killing ants or moths.

Hamilton police prosecutor Sergeant Bill Cronin holds up the average male view from the older generation.

The 38-year-old policing veteran and grandfather said none of the insects bothered him and if he was confronted with any of them he'd have no qualms killing them.

Two metre tall security guard Jason George also wasn't bothered by insects, but would throw cockroaches outside if he found any.

However, he and his partner had converted their house into an insect deathtrap as he not only had automatic bug spray operating but also had a "bug zapper" at the ready which they used to swat and electrify the tinny critters.