People respond differently to different animals. Our reaction towards certain animals depends on a number of factors, such as, our innate feelings, past experiences, and our culture. Accurate information and pleasant experiences have the power to change our views towards wildlife. For example, learning that spiders are beneficial may help to dispel initial fear.
Many of
the symbols of Halloween are animals - creepy, crawly spiders, swopping bats,
owls in trees, and crows on rooftops. People may have negative reactions to
these animals based on myths and misinformation. Below are some facts about
these sometimes mysterious but always fascinating “scary” animals! To learn
more about each animal (or other “scary” animals) divide students into groups
to research an animal and report back to the group with a multi-media
presentation.
Spiders
Spiders belong to a group of animals called “arachnids”.
Scorpions, mites, and ticks are also part of the arachnid family.
Arachnids are creatures with two body segments, eight legs, no wings or
antennae and are not able to chew. Many people think that spiders are insects
but they are mistaken since insects have six legs and three main body parts.
There are
more than 3,000 species of spiders in North America. These interesting
arachnids eat insects and other small prey. They are beneficial to humans
because they help keep insect populations under control.
Spider
Book List
Bishop, N.
2012. Spiders. Scholastic, Inc.Bradley, R. A., and S. Buchanon. 2012. Common Spiders of North America. University of California Press.
Simon, S. 2007. Spiders. HarperCollins Publishers.
Sterry, P. 2013. Spiders: A Portrait of the Animal World. New Line Books.
Bats
Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight and one of the most misunderstood animals in the world. Contrary to popular belief, bats do not dive at your hair, they don’t suck your blood, and they are not blind! Bats find their way using a sonar-like system called echolocation. Iowa’s bats are insect eaters and have no more desire for your blood than a fluffy bunny does.
Bats
are beneficial to humans in a BIG way – by eating insects! A single bat can eat up to 2,000 mosquitoes in
a single night. That’s 2,000 mosquitoes gone from your yard in one night by
just one bat! There are nine species of bats found in Iowa, one of which, the
Indiana bat, is federally endangered.
Bat
Books
Harvey, M.
J., J. S. Altenbach, and T. L. Best. 2011. Bats
of the United States and Canada. John Hopkins University Press.Richardson, P. 2010. Bats. Firefly Books, Limited.
Tuttle, M. D. 2005. America’s Neighborhood Bats. University of Texas Press.
Owls
These nocturnal
hunters of Iowa’s woodlands and fields have been regarded with apprehension for
centuries. With their silent wings, large eyes, and heads that appear to turn
all the way around, these fascinating birds of prey have gotten a bad rap. Owls
are distinctive birds that are found throughout the world in habitats ranging
from arid deserts to Arctic tundra. There are eight species of owls that are
regularly found in Iowa and four species that are occasional visitors.
Owl
Books
Burton, R. 1990. Discovering
Owls. Scholastic Library Publishing.Duncan, J.R. 2003. Owls of the World: Their Lives, Behavior and Survival. Firefly Books, Limited.
Kalman, B.D. 1987. Owls. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Stidworthy, J. 1987. Year in the Life of an Owl. Silver Burdett Press.
Lawrence, R.D. 2003. Owls: The Silent Flyers. Firefly Books, Limited.
Long, K. 1998. Owls: A Wildlife Handbook. Johnson Books.
Parry-Jones, J. 2001. Understanding Owls: Biology, Management, Breeding, Training. F & W Publications, Incorporated.
Crows
Maybe it
is the fact that crows are large and ominous looking, or maybe it’s their
hoarse, throaty calls, whatever the cause, crows have a long history of being
feared and loathed. However, crows are highly intelligent and social birds who display
great care for one another. These gregarious members of the same family as
ravens, magpies, and blue jays are actually among the smartest animals on the
planet!
Crow
Books
Kilham, L., and J. Waltermire. 1989.
American Crow and the Common Raven. Texas
A&M University Press. Savage, C. 2004. Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows, Ravens, Magpies and Jays. D&M Publishers Incorporated.
Singer, M., and L. Saport. 2002. The Company of Crows: A Book of Poems. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
