Fake Halloween Spiderwebs Can Trap Birds: What to Use Instead

Stretchy fake spiderwebs are an easy way to give your porch a spooky look, but birds and other wildlife can get tangled in the thin strands. Audubon warns against using the gauzy webs outdoors, and Bat Conservation International recommends keeping them inside. For the yard, try pumpkins, painted signs, or other solid decorations.

Why Fake Spiderwebs Are a Problem Outdoors

Birds dart in and out of bushes, rest on tree branches, and stop on porch railings. A layer of fake spiderwebs can turn any of those familiar landing spots into a trap, tangling their feet or wings as they settle in.

Bats can get caught, too. Bat Conservation International warns that the artificial strands don’t break easily. An animal that cannot pull free may die from exposure or starvation.

Keep the stretchy webs indoors and use pumpkins, painted signs, or window decorations outside. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also advises against artificial spiderwebs because of the danger to wildlife.

What to Use Instead

You can get plenty of Halloween atmosphere without stretching loose fibers through the yard. Try these ideas:

• Put spiderweb designs on windows. Use removable decals on the inside of the glass. You will still get the web pattern without leaving strands outside.
• Make a painted web panel. Paint a white web on a dark board and secure it beside the front door. Add a painted spider or a firmly attached decoration.
• Use freestanding silhouettes. Wooden witches, black cats, and bats can make a spooky entrance. Secure them so they stay put in autumn wind.
• Decorate with pumpkins. Arrange a few beside the steps or carve faces closer to Halloween. Our guide to keeping pumpkins from rotting explains how to help them last.
• Create the cobweb look indoors. Place the stretchy webbing where pets and small children cannot reach it, and keep it away from candles, heaters, and other heat sources.

If you enjoy making decorations, our Halloween crafts offer more projects to try. For outdoor displays, favor solid decorations over loose netting or dangling threads.

What to Do If an Animal Gets Tangled

Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency for instructions. Keep children and pets away while you arrange help.

Audubon advises against simply untangling a trapped animal and releasing it. An animal may need assessment even after it is freed. Avoid pulling on a bird’s wings or attempting to cut close to its body without professional guidance.

If the trapped animal is a bat, do not handle it with bare hands. Bat Conservation International’s guidance on finding bats recommends help from a trained bat rescuer or rehabilitator.

Leave the Real Garden Webs Alone

A spider’s web between two stems is a different matter. Our guide to orb-weaver spiders explains how these garden spiders catch insects and build their familiar round webs.

Let the garden spiders do their work, and give the porch a painted web or a row of jack-o’-lanterns. There is plenty of room for Halloween decorations alongside the birds that visit your yard.