Halloween is upon us, a time when several of our wild creatures take center stage — though perhaps not in a good light. In almost every neighborhood now, fake owls, silhouettes of bats and crows, and spray-on spider webs adorn houses and yards.
How these creatures came to be prominent Halloween symbols is open to speculation. For most of them, an association with the spooky or supernatural goes back to ancient times. One reason, perhaps, is that several of them are nocturnal and were believed to keep company with evil spirits, witches and vampires that also roamed the night.
Here’s a closer look:
• Bats. Legend says that during the first Halloweens — or Samhains, as they were called — around 2,000 years ago, ancient Celts built great bonfires at night to ward off witches and harmful spirits. The firelight attracted flying insects, which, in turn, attracted large numbers of bats. The ancients believed that the bats actually were spirits being kept at bay by the fires.
We now know, though, that bats actually should be protected, because they are valuable pollinators and consumers of tons of insects. What is really scary is that several bat species are being devastated by the white-nose fungus.
• Owls. In ancient Rome, owls were thought to be harbingers of evil. A screech owl's call was thought to resemble a witch's cackle. The Grimm Brothers' fairy tale "Jorinda and Joringel" is about a witch who transforms herself into a screech owl.
• Spiders. Spiders and cobwebs long have represented haunted houses and other dark, spooky places. The arachnids and their webs simply make everything seem more creepy and scary.
• Crows. It's not surprising that an all-black bird with a reputation for trickery is a Halloween symbol. Crows also were regarded as bad omens. Ancient people believed that some witches turned into crows to go on nighttime adventures. Crows also were believed to assist witches in brewing potions to cast spells.
In the sky: From David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer: The moon will be new Sunday. Venus is low in the west at dusk. Mars and Saturn are low in the southwest just after dark. Jupiter is low in the east just before sunrise. Just after dark Wednesday, Saturn, Venus and the moon will appear together.
