The warnings against using fake spider webs for Halloween

With just a few days until Halloween*, it’s likely homes around your neighbourhood have had their spooky makeovers with skeleton decorations, Jack O’lanterns* and fake spider webs.

But one of those decorations is frowned upon* by most councils* – and families are only just starting to realise it.

People are being asked to stop using fake spider webs to spook up their homes this Halloween because they pose a huge danger to our natural wildlife.

The fake webbing is considered a hazard* to birds, bats and other small animals as they often are attracted to the decoration and get caught, resulting in an injury or sometimes death.

What’s more, when blown around in the wind, they are often spread around public places such as parks and beaches, where wildlife are drawn to, and because they aren’t biodegradable*, can hang around for months or even years with the danger ongoing.

Various councils within NSW have hit social media hard this year to try and spread awareness of the danger the popular Halloween decoration poses.

“Please avoid using synthetic* spider webs when decorating your home,” one recent post targeting the Bayside suburbs reads.

“It can be very harmful for wildlife, especially birds. Birds often use spider silk to build their nests and cannot tell the difference between real and fake webbing. This can result in birds and their young becoming stuck in the webbing. Bats, insects and other wildlife can also become stuck in this material.”

To spread further awareness, the Paws & Recover Facebook Group also shared a post to remind people of the dangers synthetic webbing brings.

“Reminder for this Halloween season. Fake spider webs can trap birds, insects and animals,” it reads.

The reminder attracted over 700 comments with people saying how much they loathe* the decoration for what it does to our precious wildlife.

“I love Halloween, but I will never use this (out of respect for wildlife),” one person commented.

“I rescued a bird last year tangled in this stuff – should be banned,” another added.

And for one woman, 2022 was a particularly tricky year with rescues, so she decided to share some snaps of what the webs can actually do.

“Me here, to ruin your Halloween decorating fun! PLEASE DO NOT USE FAKE SPIDER WEBS OUTSIDE,” she warned with her photos.

“Consider the natural world around you. Birds, bats and other small animals can get caught in fake webs. Unless they are rescued, these animals will eventually just die,” she added.

Wildlife experts and local councils are instead encouraging people to decorate their homes with larger items that won’t pose a risk to animals. Or if they’re really attached to the creepy cobweb look, to keep their fake spiders and webbing indoors.

“If you’re looking for ways to decorate, consider reusing or repurposing* items you already have at home. Ideas include cardboard graveyards that can be recycled*, or pumpkins that can be put in your compost*,” a person suggested online.

GLOSSARY

• Halloween: a holiday celebrated on 31 October, known for dressing up in costumes and decorating homes with spooky things
• Jack O’lanterns: carved pumpkins with a face, often illuminated with a candle or light inside
• frowned upon: when something is looked at with disapproval or considered not a good idea
• councils: local government authorities responsible for governing specific areas or regions
• hazard: something that can be dangerous or harmful
• biodegradable: materials that can break down naturally over time and don’t harm the environment
• synthetic: made from artificial or man-made materials, not natural
• loathe: strongly dislike or hate
• repurposing: finding a new use for something instead of throwing it away
• recycled: Reusing materials to make new things, which helps the environment
• compost: decaying organic matter used to fertilise soil

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QUICK QUIZ

1. What are some common Halloween decorations mentioned in the story?
2. Why are people being warned not to use fake spider webs for Halloween?
3. What social media platform did various councils within NSW use to spread awareness about the dangers of fake spider webs?
4. How can fake spider webs harm the environment?
5. What does the story suggest people can use as alternative decorations?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Halloween Decorations
Using the hints provided in the Kids News article, how could you decorate your school and/or home with recycled and environmentally friendly materials?

Sketch your house or school with your Halloween decorating ideas and list what they are made of and how you could make them.

Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Design and Technologies, Critical and creative thinking

2. Extension
Why do you think Halloween is getting increasingly popular around Australia – including house decorating, dressing up and community events?

What do you like or dislike about Halloween?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and social, Critical and creative thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Aside from this, there is also this!
Brackets are a great literacy tool for adding aside comments, or comments that could be covered over and the sentence still makes sense. What’s inside the brackets is extra information.

They can be used for a variety of effects: to add more detail, to add humour, to connect with the reader etc.

My little brother, (the funniest kid I know) got himself into big trouble today.

Select 3 sentences from the article to add an aside comment to using brackets. Think about not only what you want to add to the sentence, but also what effect you are trying to create.