Creatures of the night: how bats, owls, and spiders are climate allies

By Anders Lorenzen

Bats, owls and spiders are some of the key elements of spooky Halloween characters. Their Halloween villain characters are also portrayed in popular culture. 

But in real life these often underappreciated creatures of the night are far from scary, and play a key role in nature and biodiversity by maintaining ecological balance and climate stability.

While they might be the icons of eerie October nights, bats, owls, and spiders are nature’s quiet workforce as they protect crops, reduce pesticide use, and help ecosystems adapt to a changing climate.

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Bats: pest controllers and pollinators

The bat, long feared, demonised and misunderstood, is one of the planet’s most valuable natural pest managers. 

A single common pipistrelle can eat up to 3,000 insects a night — including mosquitoes and crop-eating moths.

According to the Bat Conservation Trust, UK bats contribute millions of pounds annually to agriculture by reducing the need for chemical pesticides.

Further afield, in warmer regions, fruit bats also play a vital role as pollinators and seed dispersers — particularly in tropical and subtropical ecosystems.

The multiple threats bats face

Yet, bats are under threat. Habitat loss, light pollution, and a warming climate are reducing roosting sites and disrupting their hibernation cycles. Insects, their main food source, are also declining. Protecting hedgerows, maintaining dark sky areas, and installing bat boxes can all help to safeguard local bat populations.

Owls: nocturnal farmers’ friends

The barn owl — another Halloween favourite, though not demonised bats are, also plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

The animal, which in popular culture is often portrayed as the clever uncle, glides silently through the night, preying on rodents that damage crops and stored grains. One pair of barn owls can eat over 4,000 small mammals in a breeding season, providing a natural alternative to rodenticides.

The agricultural threats faced by the barn owl

However, modern agricultural practices, habitat fragmentation, and road collisions have contributed to the decline of owl species across Europe. 

Conservationists are now promoting “owl corridors” — strips of grassland or hedgerow connecting habitats — as part of regenerative farming systems.

By supporting owls, farmers are discovering a climate-friendly ally: these predators reduce chemical inputs, help balance ecosystems, and boost biodiversity on farmlands adapting to a warmer world.

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Spiders: the overlooked allies of balance

Outside your Halloween characters, few animals have been demonised and villainised like spiders have ranging from children’s literature to horror films.

However, in the real world, they are also ecological superheroes.

Their webs capture countless flying insects, limiting the spread of agricultural pests and disease vectors.

Globally, spiders consume an estimated 400–800 million tonnes of insects annually — roughly equivalent to the combined weight of all humans on Earth. This staggering contribution reduces the need for pesticides, lowering emissions from chemical production and application.

Superheroes 

Spiders also play a crucial role in carbon cycling: by preying on decomposer insects, they indirectly influence soil nutrient processes and plant growth. 

Encouraging spider populations — through diverse planting, reduced pesticide use, and wildlife-friendly gardens — can support local ecosystems and cut emissions linked to intensive agriculture.

Redefining fear: from phobia to fascination

Halloween’s fascination with the eerie and nocturnal can be reimagined as an opportunity for environmental reflection. 

The creatures that inspire our fear are also those keeping our ecosystems healthy and resilient.

Shifting attitudes

As biodiversity loss accelerates, recognising bats, owls, and spiders as climate allies — not villains — can help shift public attitudes. A “green Halloween” might just begin with turning on fewer lights, leaving wild corners for night life to thrive, and teaching children to marvel at what flutters and crawls in the dark.

Because, as the sun sets and you’re sleeping nature’s night shift gets to work, and demonised animal species pulls on their ecological superhero customes.

Our planet depends on them. 

Anders Lorenzen is the founding Editor of A greener life, a greener world.

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