Halloween Decorations: No Hanging Required

Spider sighting in Redwood Regional

The swift brush of a silky spider web against my face while walking in the woods lets me know I'm not alone. The creepy crawlers are rarely in sight, but traces of them are wound around trees and bushes, and I have walked through more than I care to count.  As Halloween approaches, it's apparent that spiders are doing their part to create a natural spooky atmosphere through our local parks.   

There isn't a particular reason why some months have more spider sightings than others, but this fall seems to have brought spiders of all shapes and sizes out in the open.  Last weekend, walking along the Stream Trail in Redwood Regional Park in Oakland, I came across a family of redwood trees being guarded by four large spiders and their interconnecting webs. The inner circle of the trees was fully protected, the webs only letting rays of sunlight through. 

The creation of spider webs and their purpose is truly fascinating.  Understanding how spiders spin their webs and the intricacies of their design makes these "spooky" decorations seem more like works of art than creepy Haunted House wall hangings. 

While you decorate your house this Halloween with fake spider webs, take some time to think about the detailed work of real spiders and get out to your neighborhood parks to see their creations before the rain comes and takes them away.