10/06/2026
That fake spider web stretched across the porch may look spooky. To wildlife, it can become a trap.
The fine synthetic strands can catch birds, bats, and other small animals. Wildlife rehabilitators have treated birds ranging from tiny hummingbirds to owls after they became tangled in decorative webbing. Strands wrapped tightly around feet, wings, or toes can restrict circulation, injure skin and feathers, and sometimes cause lasting damage.
Halloween also arrives during fall migration for many birds across North America. The exact timing varies, but September and October bring heavy migration in many regions. Many species travel at night and stop in unfamiliar places to rest and search for food, adding another reason to keep yards free of unnecessary entanglement hazards.
And the problem does not necessarily end when Halloween is over. Artificial webbing is usually made from synthetic plastic fibers. Once loose outdoors, those fibers can persist, blow into surrounding habitat, and gradually fragment into smaller plastic pieces or microfibers.
The safer choice is simple: skip outdoor fake webs, loose netting, dangling string, and decorations with small loops. Use solid props, untreated pumpkins, paper decorations, or carefully placed lighting instead. Keep outdoor lights dim and directed downward when possible, especially during migration season.
Keep Halloween spooky for people—not dangerous for wildlife.
