While we Coastsiders are busy pulling on wigs and wings, nature’s trick-or-treaters have been in costume all year. Out in the Wavecrest Open Space there are a number of contenders for best-dressed. Two of the “Creepiest and Most Beautiful” are the banded garden spider and the anise swallowtail caterpillar.

The banded garden spider (Argiope trifasciata) spins its web in tall grasses, decked out in bold black, white, and gold stripes—like it just walked off the set of Arachnids of the Caribbean. Its striking pattern is part fashion statement, part stealth technology. Those bands help the spider disappear into sunlight and shadow while waiting for a passing meal to stumble into its sticky masterpiece. This is like nature’s version of a haunted house!

Meanwhile, the anise swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio zelicaon) goes for something brighter—lime green with black-and-yellow stripes, like a piece of Halloween taffy come to life. But beware this sweet disguise: when threatened, the caterpillar pops out a tiny orange forked organ (called an osmeterium) from behind its head and releases a surprisingly pungent smell. It’s equal parts “boo!” and “pew!”

Both of these creatures remind us that our local gardens, meadows, and trails are full of tiny marvels and spooky surprises. Every web, leaf, and coyote brush holds a story of survival, adaptation, and transformation.

So as you wander past any of our shared open spaces on the coast this week, keep an eye out—you might just meet the original masters of disguise, always dressed to impress for the season.

Happy haunting, and happy habitat-watching!