Halloween - Why Cats, Bats and Spiders?

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Ranked #2,684 in Animals, #58,763 overall

Animals That Go Bump in the Night

So many of our Halloween symbols are animals. Black Cats, Bats, Owls, Spiders and even Toads have all become a part of Halloween. This lens will give you some insight into how this came about and will also provide you with the real facts about each of the animals.

You'll find other symbols of Halloween, too, like costumes for the whole family (including the family dog) and books with great Halloween craft and food ideas.

Scottish Prayer

From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!

The Animals of Halloween 

What makes Halloween spooky? All the night animals, of course. All those things that go bump in the night.

 ~ The stories about the bats that suck your blood and fly in your hair.
 ~ The spiders that spin their sticky webs.
 ~ The owls, once thought to be harbingers of evil, that who-hoot at you and then fly down silently and snatch up their prey.
 ~ And let's not forget the witches' familiar, the cat.
 ~ The little toad even got a bad rap in ancient times.

Our superstitions about animals and their association with Halloween has been passed down through the generations and cultures. Today it makes great, spooky fun, but we know that most of the superstitions are untrue.

How Bats came to be a part of Halloween 

To the people of the middle ages, who feared anything that they didn't understand, just the way bats looked was enough to link them with evil and witches. When you add the fact that it was thought that witches used them in their brews and that bat blood was an ingredient in an ointment that witches rubbed on their bodies before attending a Sabbath, then bats were destined to be a symbol of Halloween.

After all, Bats fly through the night (using their radar) to avoid objects and catch their insect prey. But people of the middle ages knew little about science. Bats also gather in large numbers in dark, caves, sleeping with their wings wrapped around them just like the long black cloaks that witches wear.

In South America, the vampire bat drinks the blood of animals, including humans, but most other bats help humans by eating thousands of insects each night. The other bats eat fruit.

Because of superstition and misunderstandings, the bat has become a permanent part of Halloween.

Reference: Barth, Edna, Witches, Pumpkins and Grinning Ghosts, The Story of the Halloween Symbols.



Little Bat Infant Costume - $ 15.00
This caped cutie , lil' bat costume makes an adorable Halloween Costume or portrait outfit. The costume includes: The Hooded Cape, Bat Mittens and Bat Booties with Nonskid Soles. Size: 0-9 Months

Chiroptera Bats

Ernst Haeckel - Chiroptera Bats print
by LisasLair

Bat Facts on Wiki 

Bats are flying mammals in the order Chiroptera (). The forelimbs of bats are webbed and developed as wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums and colugos, glide rather than fly, and only for short distances. Bats do not flap their entire forelimbs, like birds, but instead flap their spread out digits, which are very long and covered with a thin membrane or patagium. Chiroptera comes from two Greek words, cheir (????) "hand" and pteron (??????) "wing."

There are about 1,100 bat species worldwide, which represent about twenty percent of all classified mammal species. About seventy percent of bats are insectivores. Most of the rest are frugivores, or fruit eaters. A few species feed from animals other than insects. Bats are present throughout most of the world and perform vital ecological roles such as pollinating flowers and dispersing fruit seeds. Many tropical plants depend entirely on bats for the distribution of their seeds.

Bats range in size from Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat measuring in length and in mass, to the Giant Golden-crowned Flying-fox which has a wing span of and weighs approximately .

Amazing Bats 

Author Unknown

Amazing bats like to eat ---
Thousands of bugs for a tasty treat.
Flying through the moonlit air ---
Traveling here and traveling there.
Hibernating when the weather's cold,
Gathered with hundreds of friends, I'm told.
Many bats are endangered, I'm sad to say ---
There are fewer and fewer bats every day.
Be kind to bats, that's the thing to do ---
Tell your friends and your family too!

Creatures of the Night 

Nature's Creatures of the Dark: A Pop-Up Glow-in-the-Dark Exploration

Amazon Price: (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Owls - A Halloween Symbol 


In ancient Greece, the owl was sacred and was a familiar of the Goddess of wisdom, Athene. But in Rome, owls were harbingers of evil.

Europeans in the middle ages feared the owls stare and its eerie call. The Screech Owl, with its witch-like scream was the most feared. In fact, at that time it was believed that witches could turn into owls that would trick the unsuspecting traveler.

Today, some cultures and superstitious people believe that the call of a screech owl signals death or a disaster.

So that is why owls have become part of our Halloween decorations and parties.

Reference: Barth, Edna, Witches, Pumpkins and Grinning Ghosts, The Story of the Halloween Symbols.

Hedwig the Owl Costume 

Harry Potter Hedwig the Owl Costume

Amazon Price: $37.99 (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Night Owl Print

Night Owl print
by pizzaandpajamas

Owl Facts on Wiki 

The Owls are the order Strigiformes, comprising 200 birds of prey, species. Most are solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e.g. the Burrowing Owl). Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, though a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except Antarctica, most of Greenland, and some remote islands. Though owls are typically solitary, the literary collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament.

Living owls are divided into two families: the typical owls, Strigidae; and the barn-owls, Tytonidae.

Mr. Owl 

Edna Hamilton

I saw an owl up in a tree,
I looked at him, he looked at me;
I couldn't tell you of his size,
For all I saw were two big eyes;
As soon as I could make a dash,
Straight home I ran, quick as a flash!

Owl Pellets - How Interesting! 

Owl Puke: Book and Owl Pellet

Amazon Price: (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Cats and Halloween 

Did you ever wonder why one of the favorite symbols of Halloween is a black cat?

In ancient times, cats have been a symbol of magic and power. Witches had cats as familiars, but these cats came in all colors, not just black. During the "witch trials" many innocent cats were killed along with the so called witches, because their accusers thought that they were the witches' familiar. Even after the trials, people distrusted cats because of the stealthy way they move, those sinister yellow eyes and their calm demeanor during scary times. Since most cats look dark colored at night, the black cat became linked with witches, the Druid Samhain and the night, thus becoming a part of Halloween.

There were many sayings about cats:

 ~ Never let a cat into the same room with a corpse. It might be a demon and turn the dead soul into a vampire.

 ~ A ship with a cat on board is never wrecked, for the cat acts as a counter-charm.

 ~ Honest as a cat when the cream is out of reach.

 ~ A cat that sits with its back to the fire is raising a storm.

 ~ If a cat rubs against you, expect good luck. It it yawns, opportunity awaits.

Reference: Barth, Edna, Witches, Pumpkins and Grinning Ghosts, The Story of the Halloween Symbols.




Black Cat Toddler Costume -
$ 13.00
This Black Cat costume is one of our Caped Cuties. It includes the Black Hooded Cape with Hot Pink Witch Embroidery and the Black Cat Chest Emblem, the attached hood with cat ears, and an attached cat tail. Size: Toddler (2-4)

Black Star Cat Eyes Sticker

Black Star Cat Eyes Sticker sticker
by naturegirl7

Cat Facts on Wiki 

The cat (Felis catus), also known as the domestic cat or housecat"Housecat" in the American Heritage Dictionary to distinguish it from other felines and felids, is a small carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt vermin and household pests. It has been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years and is currently the most popular pet in the world.

A skilled predator, the cat is known to hunt over 1,000 species for food. It can be trained to obey simple commands. Individual cats have also been known to learn on their own to manipulate simple mechanisms, such as doorknobs and toilet handles.YouTube - Gizmo Flushes Cats use a variety of vocalizations and types of body language for communication, including meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling, squeaking, chirping, clicking, and grunting. They are also bred and shown as registered pedigree pets. This hobby is known as cat fancy.

Until recently the cat was commonly believed to have been domesticated in ancient Egypt, where it was a cult animal. A study in 2007 found that the lines of descent of all house cats probably run through as few as five self-domesticating African Wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) circa 8000 BC, in the Near East. The earliest direct evidence of cat domestication is a kitten that was buried with its owner 9,500 years ago in Cyprus.

Moses the Kitten 

Moses the Kitten

Amazon Price: (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Spiders and Halloween 


 
Spiders work tirelessly to spin their webs each night in hope of capturing some insect prey, but these webs and their makers have become associated with haunted houses and graveyard crypts. Also, the poisonous Black Widow spider, with it's black and red colors just looks evil and her bite can be deadly.

Most gardeners welcome spiders because they are like having a pest control service that works 24/7 for free. But none the less, Spiders and Spider webs are an integral part of our Halloween decorations.
 

Toddler Spider Costume 

Baby Spider Costume - Toddler Costume

Amazon Price: $24.88 (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Spider Facts on Wiki 

Category: File - :Common Funnel web spider (Hippasa agelenoides) W IMG_2780.jpg|thumb|250px|Hippasa agelenoides- Common Funnel web spider

Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing chelicerate arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae modified into fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms.Sebastin PA & KV Peter (ed). (2009) Spiders of India. Universities Press. ISBN 9788173716416 Spiders are found world-wide on every continent except for Antarctica, and have become established in nearly every ecological niche with the exception of air and sea colonization. As of 2008, approximately 40,000 spider species, and 109 families have been recorded by taxonomists; however, there has been confusion within the scientific community as to how all these genera should be classified, as evidenced by the over 20 different classifications that have been proposed since 1900.

Anatomically, spiders differ from other arthropods in that the usual body segments are fused into two tagmata, the cephalothorax and abdomen, and joined by a small, cylindrical pedicel. Unlike insects, spiders do not have antennae. In all except the most primitive group, the Mesothelae, spiders have the most centralized nervous systems of all arthropods, as all their ganglia are fused into one mass in the cephalothorax. Unlike most arthropods, spiders have no extensor muscles in their limbs and instead extend them by hydraulic pressure.

Their abdomens bear appendages that have been modified into spinnerets that extrude silk from up to six types of silk glands within their abdomen. Spider webs vary widely in size, shape and the amount of sticky thread used. It now appears that the spiral orb web may be one of the earliest forms, and spiders that produce tangled cobwebs are more abundant and diverse than orb-web spiders. Spider-like arachnids with silk-producing spigots appear in the Devonian period about , but these animals apparently lacked spinnerets. True spiders have been found in Carboniferous rocks from , and are very similar to the most primitive surviving order, the Mesothelae. The main groups of modern spiders, Mygalomorphae and Araneomorphae, first appear in the Triassic period, before .

A vegetarian species was described in 2008, but all other known species are predators, mostly preying on insects and on other spiders, although a few large species also take birds and lizards. Spiders use a wide range of strategies to capture prey: trapping it in sticky webs, lassoing it with sticky bolas, mimicking the prey to avoid detection, or running it down. Most detect prey mainly by sensing vibrations, but the active hunters have acute vision, and hunters of the genus Portia show signs of intelligence in their choice of tactics and ability to develop new ones. Spiders' guts are too narrow to take solids, and they liquidize their food by flooding it with digestive enzymes and grinding it with the bases of their pedipalps, as they do not have true jaws.

Male spiders identify themselves by a variety of complex courtship rituals to avoid being eaten by the females. Males of most species survive a few matings, limited mainly by their short life spans. Females weave silk egg-cases, each of which may contain hundreds of eggs. Females of many species care for their young, for example by carrying them around or by sharing food with them. A minority of species are social, building communal webs that may house anywhere from a few to 50,000 individuals. Social behavior ranges from precarious toleration, as in the aggressive widow spiders, to co-operative hunting and food-sharing. Although most spiders live for at most two years, tarantulas and other mygalomorph spiders can live up to 25 years in captivity.

While the venom of a few species is dangerous to humans, scientists are now researching the use of spider venom in medicine and as non-polluting pesticides. Spider silk provides a combination of lightness, strength and elasticity that is superior to that of synthetic materials, and spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants to see if these can be used as silk factories. As a result of their wide range of behaviors, spiders have become common symbols in art and mythology symbolizing various combinations of patience, cruelty and creative powers.

Field Guide to Spiders 

A Spider 

Author Unknown

A spider spins
A web all day.
She has no time
To come and play.

She sits and waits
On a thread nearby
Until she traps
A delicious fly.

Spider Spins a Story 

Spider Spins a Story: Fourteen Legends from Native America

Amazon Price: (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Poor Unpopular Toads 

Toad & mushroomsRound about the caldron go;
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad, that under the cold stone,
Days and nights hast thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!

    from William Shakespeare's, Macbeth

Because of a toads self defense system of excreting a skin irritant, people in Europe during the time of the "witch scare" thought that they were poisonous and that witches made familiars of toads.

Today we know that toads are very helpful creatures that eat harmful insects so they are good to have in the garden. Toads skin absorbs water and this is why they can appear to swell up "magically". Toads are wonderful little creatures that can live as long as thirty-five years.

But because of their early association with witches, have become a small part of Halloween.

Reference: Barth, Edna, Witches, Pumpkins and Grinning Ghosts, The Story of the Halloween Symbols.



Lil' Frog Prince Costume - $ 22.00
This adorable Frog Prince costume is a perfect fit for Halloween or for family portraits. Included with this costume is the Frog Romper with nonskid soles, Headpiece with Frog Eyes and Crown, and The Lily Pad that makes sound "RIBBIT" Size: 1-2

Toad Facts 

__NOTOC__

Category: File - :Commontoad.JPG|thumb|right|A common toad

Category: Image - :Fowler's toad Bufo fowleri.jpg|thumb|left|One example of a "toad", Bufo fowleri.

Category: File - :Male and Female Frog in Amplexus.JPG|thumb|right|A male and female common toad in amplexus. The black strands are eggs.

Category: Image - :Camouflaged_toad.jpg|thumb|left|A camouflaged toad

Category: Image - :Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0423-019, Erdkröte.jpg|thumb

A toad can refer to a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura. A distinction is often made between frogs and toads by their appearance, prompted by the convergent adaptation among so-called "toads" to dry habitats. Many "toads" have leathery skin for better water retention, and brown coloration for camouflage. Their skin also includes wart-like parotoid glands. They also tend to burrow in winter to hide their delicate skin. However, these adaptations are not reliable indicators of its ancestry. Because taxonomy reflects only evolutionary relationships, any distinction between frogs and toads is irrelevant to their classification.

For instance, many members of the frog families Bombinatoridae, Discoglossidae, Pelobatidae, Rhinophrynidae, Scaphiopodidae, and some species from the Microhylidae family are commonly called "toads". However, the only family exclusively given the common name "toad" is Bufonidae, or the "true toads". Some "true frogs" of the genus Rana have also adapted to burrowing habitats, while a bufonid species in the genus Atelopus are conversely known by the common name "harlequin frogs". Similarly to frogs, toads also display metamorphosis from tadpole to sexually mature adult.

Frogs & Toads 

Frogs and Toads of the Southeast (A Wormsloe Foundation Nature Book)

Amazon Price: $22.95 (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Mooned Bat Poster

Mooned Bat Poster Print print
by estjohn

The Bat 

Theodore Roethke

By day the bat is cousin to the mouse.
He likes the attic of an aging house.

His fingers make a hat about his head.
His pulse beat is so slow we think him dead.

He loops in crazy figures half the night
Among the trees that face the corner light.

But when he brushes up against a screen,
We are afraid of what our eyes have seen:

For something is amiss or out of place
When mice with wings can wear a human face.

Halloween Photos 

Went Red by trazomfreak

Went Red

Issey in Halloween Costume+Impressionist Effect by mitch59

Issey in Halloween C...

Issey in Halloween Costume sitting+Mosaic Border by mitch59

Issey in Halloween C...

Issey+Kylie+Mama by mitch59

Issey+Kylie+Mama

Family at The Pumpkin Patch by mitch59

Family at The Pumpki...

++2009.10.23--Kylie in a Pumpkin Patch+Impressionist Effect by mitch59

++2009.10.23--Kylie...

automatically generated by Flickr

Things That Go Bump In the Night 

Felix LeRoy Perry

Skeletons bleached white clang bone against bone
Demons and devils dance macabre all alone
Witches on broomsticks in blue candlelight
Challenge ghouls in rags for the rights to the night

With stench on their breath, werewolves bay at the moon
Vampires feed in frenzy before the night ends too soon
Spiders and cobwebs multiply by ten-fold
Goblins and bats become ever so bold

Its Halloween night you surely should know
Things that go bump in the night will all show!

Reusable Trick or Treat Bag 

Instead of using those wasteful and environmentally unfriendly plastic bags for Halloween trick or treating, try a reusable cloth bag this year. These can be customized with the child's name, but are cute just like they are.


These are designed by naturegirl7

Black Star Cat Bag bag Trick or Treat Bag bag Kitten Dax Treat Bag bag

Animal Costumes for People at Amazon 

Parrot Costume

Parrot Costume

This beautiful bird costume includes: multi-colore more...0 points

Black Cat Suit Adult Costume

Black Cat Suit Adult Costume

Halloween Costume - A creature of the night. She's more...0 points

Curious George Child Costume

Curious George Child Costume

Halloween Costume - Here?s a great Curious George more...0 points

CHILD Tigger Deluxe Plush Costume - Officially Licensed TM Costume

CHILD Tigger Deluxe Plush Costume - Officially Licensed TM Costume

Hoo, Hoo, Hoo! Has Anyone Seen Other Tiggers Aroun more...0 points

Pirate Parrot

Pirate Parrot

Our Pirate Parrot features a colorful, easy-on fea more...0 points

Mary Had a Little Lamb, Its Fleece as White as Snow! And Your Baby Boy Will Be Super Cute in this Cute as Can Be Lamb Costume!

Mary Had a Little Lamb, Its Fleece as White as Snow! And Your Baby Boy Will Be Super Cute in this Cute as Can Be Lamb Costume!

Mary Had a Little Lamb, Its Fleece as White as Sno more...0 points

Toddler Cute Little Plush Fur Tiger Costume (Footies not included with Toddler Size)

Toddler Cute Little Plush Fur Tiger Costume (Footies not included with Toddler Size)

Ferocious Little Tiger.. GRRRR! - PLUSH Tiger Stri more...0 points

Tiger Plush Headband

Tiger Plush Headband

This Tiger Plush Headband is a fun accessory for a more...0 points

Minnie Mouse Costume: Girl's Size 7-8

Minnie Mouse Costume: Girl's Size 7-8

It's High Couture from the House of Mouse! Dress y more...0 points

Pink Sparkle Pixie Wings

Pink Sparkle Pixie Wings

These beautiful Fairy Pixie wings will be perfect more...0 points

Bratz Cat Costume: Girl's Size 4-6

Bratz Cat Costume: Girl's Size 4-6

Includes dress, bolero jacket and ears. Sandals an more...0 points

Scaredy Bat Toddler Costume

Scaredy Bat Toddler Costume

Includes: Bodysuit with attached scalloped sleeve more...0 points

Dax, the Cat, Reading About Stellaluna, the Bat! 


 Dax reads bat book
 

Halloween Animals in the News 

Holiday TV specials: Dec. 6-12
8 pm (DISN) ?Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas? Halloween king Jack tries to spoil Christmas. 8 pm (FAM) ?Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town? Fred ...
Bridgewater-Raynham students come together while doing service
On Halloween, student council members went door-to-door in the two towns collecting canned goods. And the students have also been holding fundraisers, ...
Chatham dentist office still collecting Beanie Babies and letters
With a soft spot in her heart for the American troops, Hurley joined dentists nationwide on Halloween participating in Operation Gratitude's Great Halloween ...
Gallery: Animals celebrate Halloween
With Halloween nearing, several of the animals, including lions, tigers, polar bears, brown bears, and gorillas were given pumpkins to enjoy and play with ...

Halloween Animal Vids 

halloween cats and dogs

its never to early for halloween! sit back and relax and enjoy the show! hope you enjoy. 10-16-08 sorry had to change the music in my video. got flagged. liked the original soundtrack better from mightmare before christmas.

Runtime: 364
38127 views
17 Comments:

curated content from YouTube

Dinosaur Dog Costume 

MEDIUM - Dogzilla Dog Costume

Amazon Price: $24.23 (as of 11/28/2009)Buy Now

Halloween Stuff on eBay 

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About Naturegirl7 

Lensmaster naturegirl7 has been a member since April 22 2008, has rated 498 lenses, favorited 443, and has created 148 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "7-up Cake Recipes". See all my lenses

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My husband and I have always loved nature and the outdoors. We currently maintain a 9 acre private wildlife preserve.





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