Halloween GMOs, Sugar..Try a Healthier Treat

My kids still remind me the most likely reason we didn't get many trick or treaters wasn't because we lived in a rural area, it was because I usually had "healthy" goody bags.Yea well, too bad. When my kids were preschool I had full control over the quality of food to which they were exposed. By first grade I didn't exactly give up but waged my battles carefully, hoping to at least set the foundation of good eating habits. And now that they are both young adults they, without my nagging, are realizing that how they physically feel, how clearly they can think, and of course their appearance all depends on their lifestyle and eating habits.

Only a few years back we were concerned about the amount of fat, sugar and salt added to candy and snacks but we didn't hear about the concerns with GMO modified food. Not wanting to be just one more voice spoiling  the fun of the holidays, we should at least be aware of what is going on.

A good article on the subject of what are GMOs and why we should be leery of their use in our food supply is found here from the Non-GMO Project. In the absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO Project was created to give consumers the informed choice they deserve. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Not knowing who to believe or even trust with the health of our loved ones, more and more Americans are taking matters into their own hands by trying not to purchase foods containing GMOs. The hope is that if people stop buying GMOs, companies will stop using them and farmers will stop growing them.

Now let's be more aware of what those labels mean in terms of sugar intake. How many grams in a tsp. of sugar is there anyway? As you can see from the chart below, the typical candy bar has 20 or more grams of sugar. Five teaspoons is 21 grams of sugar, six teaspoons is 26 grams of sugar, seven teaspoons is 31 grams, and my favorite Milky Way bar came in at 35 with 9 teaspoons being 36 grams of sugar!

As disturbing as it is to actually know that, we don't want to take all the fun out of our kids' Halloween loot. My way of handling the indulgence was to put most of the candy in the freezer and ration it out over a few weeks. Some parents let their kids have their gorge fest to get it over with and accept the sugar highs and sugar crashes as all part of the holiday. Below is the candy bar chart but for the full candy comparison refer to the following site:

Chocolate Bars Compared

Chocolate Bar	Serving Size	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Contains Trans Fat	Sugar (g)
Hershey's Milk Chocolate (Hershey's)	1 bar	270	16	10	NO	31
Hershey's Milk Chocolate With Almonds (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	14	6	NO	19
Krackel (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	10	6	NO	24
Mounds (Hershey's)	1 bar	230	13	10	NO	21
Almond Joy (Hershey's)	1 package	220	13	8	YES	20
Kit Kat Bar (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	11	7	NO	22
REESE'S Fast Break (Hershey's)	1 bar	260	13	4.5	YES	30
5TH Avenue (Hershey's)	1 bar	280	14	5	NO	27
Mr. Goodbar (Hershey's)	1 bar	260	17	7	NO	22
YORK Peppermint Pattie (Hershey's)	1 piece	140	2.5	1.5	NO	25
Take 5 (Hershey's)	1 package	210	11	5	YES	18
Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate (Hershey's)	1 bar	218	12	8	NO	21
REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups (Hershey's)	1 package	260	15	6	NO	25
HEATH Toffee Bar (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	13	7	NO	23
PAYDAY Peanut Caramel Bar (Hershey's)	1 bar	240	13	2.5	NO	21
SKOR (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	12	7	NO	24
SYMPHONY Milk Chocolate (Hershey's)	1 bar	210	13	8	NO	23
Snickers (Mars)	1 package	280	14	5	YES	30
Snickers Cruncher (Mars)	1 package	220	11	6	YES	21
Snickers Almond Bar (Mars)	1 package	230	11	4	YES	26
Milky Way (Mars)	1 package	260	10	7	YES	35
TWIX Caramel Cookie Bars (Mars)	1 package	280	14	11	YES	27
3 Musketeers (Mars)	1 bar	260	8	5	YES	40
Chunky (Nestle)	1 bar	190	11	5	NO	21
Baby Ruth (Nestle)	1 bar	280	14	8	YES	33
Butterfinger (Nestle)	1 bar	270	11	6	NO	29
100 Grand (Nestle)	1 package	180	8	5	NO	21
Nestle Crunch (Nestle)	1 bar	220	12	7	NO	24

FOR A HEALTHIER SNACK

If you want an easy, chocolate lover's snack that is delicious and simple to put into gift bags, here are two no-cook recipes:

This recipe is an adaptation of a peanut butter ball recipe from an old Rodale cookbook.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Coated Sesame Balls

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine these three ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

3/4 cup skim milk powder

1 cup oatmeal

Combine these two ingredients in another bowl.

Gradually add the oatmeal/milk powder mixture to the peanut butter mixture, blend thoroughly, mix will be stiff, may need your hands.

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (toast seeds in a preheated 200 degree oven for 20 minutes)

2 tbsp. boiling water

Blend the seeds and the hot water into the mixture.

Using your hands, shape into 1-inch balls. (The mix will be sticky so wet your hands periodically with cold water.)

Roll the balls around in a bowl containing finely chopped nuts, almond meal, wheat germ or ground flax seeds.

Place the balls onto wax paper lined baking sheets. 

Place the baking sheets in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Place a pound of chocolate coating wafers or a 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips along with 1 tbsp. shortening into a small microwave safe bowl (or melt using a double boiler).

Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, stir, another 30 seconds, stir till smooth.

Dip the balls into the melted chocolate using a strong sandwich pick. Place onto the wax paper lined baking sheets to harden.

This batch makes about 3 dozen.

From the Taste of Home cooking magazine, this recipe is a bit easier and uses only four ingredients. You can use your own granola mix or purchase a store brand.

Granola Fudge Clusters

1 cup (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup (6 oz) butterscotch chips

1 1/4 cup granola

1 cup chopped walnuts

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips, stir until smooth.

Stir in the granola and walnuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.

Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until firm.

This batch makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

The Great Halloween Pumpkin, What does the story really mean?

Charles Schulz' views of American customs and life in general have been teaching and entertaining us for over fifty years. Take the time to ponder what Schulz is saying and you will soon realize there is a lot more to these cartoon strips than entertainment.

I can remember as a child reading the cartoon strips and at times I thought, "I don't get it.", though knowing full well there is a bit of wisdom right in front of me.  The 'something' that is outside of each of the characters would be obvious once I understood. 

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" portrays the struggle between existentialism and religious determinism. The Western fear of Paganism has always reached its height on October 31, originally the closing date on the pre-Christian Celtic calendar and marked be Druid harvest practices.  All Saints' Day was introduced by the pope in the 7th century as a way to counter the effects of the pagan festival.  Brought to the United States in the 1800's by Irish immigrants, Halloween is mainly regarded as a social gathering, a holiday for children, with little thought to its being connected to the restless afterlife.  The Great Pumpkin attempts to find the spiritual in the mundane and to locate the divine in the pagan.

For the Peanuts gang, the world is an inhospitable place.  Narrow-minded and gullible, Charlie Brown sees the world as cruel and unforgiving.  Day in and day out he falls into the same patterns of behavior resulting in the failure once again.  Many of us can relate to Charlie Brown because we often find ourselves going through life repeating patterns of behavior or expectations and then wondering why things don't work out any differently.

Violet's Halloween party with all its temptations of fun and frolic pulls the rest of the gang into the excitement of 'the now', while Linus is mocked for missing out and choosing to separate himself and wait for the unknown rather than enjoy the obvious.  Even Sally loses interest and joins the festivities, portraying the message of how often the chasm of beliefs can put a wedge within a relationship.

Linus seeks religion and philosophy as the key to understanding his universe.  Rather than letting Charlie Brown's self-pity in why things are the way they are, Linus believes there must be something beyond the ordinary everyday happenings, a divine purpose.  He doesn't give an air of superiority over his peers but his perceptions set him apart from the rest of the gang, similar to the way those of us with strong convictions feel so alone among the majority in our society.  Linus clings to his thumb and blanket for security and comfort.  The Great Pumpkin is symbolic as the 'sign' that there may be something greater in which to believe even if we must continue to wait.  We need to keep firm in whatever foundation of faith we have and to understand that some things in life are just a mystery.

Charles Schulz' writings reflect his own personal search for understanding and meaning.  He portrayed very well the message that for those who keep on searching, the world can be an unforgiving and perhaps lonely place.  But life is what it is and though an unpredictable blend of tears of joy as well as grief, we mustn't give up on the fascination of this mysterious journey.

The complete article "The Book of Linus" by Michael Koresky

The Webby Weave of the Spider

 

What Do Spiders Have To Do With Halloween?

Outside in the early morning hours,I noticed the multitude of spider webs seemingly everywhere. The two types of webs most prevalent were that of the grass spider, who weaves the funnel type webs, and the garden spider, who weaves the round web we are most familiar.

A cool site was on the telephone and cable lines. The webs were lined up one after the other connecting the two cable lines which are spaced about a foot apart. It was such a pretty site glistening in the morning sun.















I'm usually ok with spiders as long as they aren't actually crawling on me. In the garden I come across the orb spider fairly frequently. I know they won't hurt me but being the size they are, it always gives me a jolt. Spiders are beneficial arthropods, that survive by feeding on insects. Oftentimes they are the most important biological control of insect pests in gardens, fields, forests, and homes.

In fall and winter, spiders might be found lurking in dark corners of the house or the basement. For a female spider getting ready to lay eggs, she’d need to catch enough food so she would have the energy necessary for laying eggs. Then, she’d need someplace to tie up those eggs. For spiders that make webs, all this extra work would leave quite a few cobwebs around.

So why the connection with Halloween? Mainly it is a matter of association with that which people fear. People often are afraid of the dark, creepy, hidden places and any creatures lurking in such places. Walking into a spider web is rarely a pleasant experience.

The spider web is said to represent the wheel of life and time, the turning of the seasons. In addition the spider has eight legs - and there are eight major festivals in the pagan/Wiccan year. One of them is Samheim, which is a time to reconnect with our ancestors, and honor those who have died. This is the time when the veil between our world and the spirit realm is thin, so it's the perfect time of year to make contact with the dead.

Below are just a few of common spiders who are contentedly living amongst us just trying to survive. If we leave them alone, usually they try in earnest to leave us alone. Spiders are more common in our homes than we think. According to David Bodanis in his book "Secret House" the typical clean and tidy home still houses many, many spiders. These beneficials prefer to stay hidden in the dark corners of our cabinets and basements and quietly give us a hand in keeping those insects at bay who can do us harm. While we don't want visible spider webs on the corners of our walls it may not be the best idea to douse our homes with poisonous insect sprays.

An alternative to using pesticides (in doing so we expose ourselves, children and pets to these poisons). A much safer method is to use the natural repellent nature of Peppermint essential oil. Purchase only from a reputable, health food store where only 100% pure, therapeutic essential oils are sold. You don't want synthetic fragrance oils or those used from the cooking section of the grocery store. Peppermint oil is strong and a good deterrent to not only spiders but ants, fleas and rodents. Add 10 - 15 drops to 8 - 12 oz of water in a spray bottle. Spray weekly around cracks, doorways, windows, any points of entry in your home.

Wolf spiders are common spiders outdoors and are occasionally seen indoors. They are moderate to large-sized spiders (1/4 - 3/4 inch long). Wolf spiders are found on the ground or under stones in a wide variety of habitats, such as forest floors, grassy meadows, swamps, and bogs. Some even like to live underground. They commonly hunt during the day or at night when it is warm. Wolf spiders are dark-colored, usually brownish or grayish, with white markings.
The bite of the Wolf Spider is poisonous but not lethal. Although non-aggressive, they bite freely if provoked and should be considered dangerous to humans. The bite may be very painful. First aid and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible, particularly as to children or the elderly.

Orb spiders are common spiders outdoors near buildings, but are usually not found indoors. They range in size from small to large (1/8 - 1 inch long) and are found in a variety of colors, with some being brightly colored. Orb spiders have large, swollen-looking abdomens, including some that are oddly shaped. They make the classic round, flat, wheel-like web familiar to most people.
The black and yellow argiope (are-JI-o-pee) spider, also known as the garden spider, is familiar to many. It is large (up to 1 inch long) and brightly colored black and yellow.

Another common orb spider is the barn spider (figure 9). It is large (4/5 inch long) and brownish in color.
The bite of Orb-Weaving Spiders is of low risk (not toxic) to humans. They are a non-aggressive group of spiders. Seldom bite. Be careful not to walk into their webs at night - the fright of this spider crawling over one's face can be terrifying.




















Grass spiders, a type of funnel weaver, are common outdoors and are occasionally found indoors. They are generally brownish or grayish with light and dark stripes near the head. They have long spinnerets and are moderate-sized (3/4 inch long). Grass spiders construct a large sheet web with a funnel they use as a retreat. These webs are commonly built on the ground, around steps, window wells, foundations, and low shrubs.

These spiders are non-aggressive and the bite of these spiders is of low risk to humans.
 Most spider bites are harmless to humans and animals with the exception of poisonous types such as the black widow and the brown recluse.
If you think you've been bitten by either of those, get medical attention as soon as possible. Otherwise, the use of lavender and/or roman chamomile essential oil can bring quick relief for a spider bite. 
Apply 1-2 drops directly on the bite up to four times per day.
These oils can be safely used on your pets and livestock animals.

Spiders certainly are in the creepy category, but if you really look close at them they are fascinating. Not so ugly they're cute, as the saying goes, but then again there is certainly nothing dull about our natural world.

Understand the Great Halloween Pumpkin

 Charles Schulz' views of American customs and life in general have been teaching and entertaining us for over fifty years.

 I can remember as a child reading the cartoon strips and at times I thought, "I don't get it.", though knowing full well there is a bit of wisdom right in front of me.  The 'something' that is outside of each of the characters would be obvious once I understood. 

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" portrays the struggle between existentialism and religious determinism. The Western fear of Paganism has always reached its height on October 31, originally the closing date on the pre-Christian Celtic calendar and marked be Druid harvest practices.  All Saints' Day was introduced by the pope in the 7th century as a way to counter the effects of the pagan festival.  Brought to the United States in the 1800's by Irish immigrants, Halloween is mainly regarded as a social gathering, a holiday for children, with little thought to its being connected to the restless afterlife.  The Great Pumpkin attempts to find the spiritual in the mundane and to locate the divine in the pagan.

For the Peanuts gang, the world is an inhospitable place.  Narrow-minded and gullible, Charlie Brown sees the world as cruel and unforgiving.  Day in and day out he falls into the same patterns of behavior resulting in the failure once again.  Many of us can relate to Charlie Brown because we often find ourselves going through life making the same mistakes over and over.

Violet's Halloween party with all its temptations of fun and frolic pulls the rest of the gang into the excitement of the now, and Linus is mocked for missing out and choosing to separate himself and wait for the unknown rather than enjoy the obvious.  Even Sally loses interest and joins the festivities, portraying the message of how often the chasm of beliefs can put a wedge within a relationship.

Linus seeks religion and philosophy as the key to understanding his universe.  Rather than letting Charlie Brown's self-pity in why things are the way they are, Linus believes there must be something beyond the ordinary everyday happenings, a divine purpose.  He doesn't give an air of superiority over his peers but his perceptions set him apart from the rest of the gang, similar to the way those of us with strong convictions feel so alone among the majority in our society.  Linus clings to his thumb and blanket for security and comfort.  The Great Pumpkin is symbolic as the 'sign' that there may be something greater in which to believe even if we must continue to wait.  We need to keep firm in whatever foundation of faith we have and to understand that some things in life are just a mystery.

Charles Schulz' writings reflect his own personal search for understanding and meaning.  He portrayed very well the message that for those who keep on searching, the world can be an unforgiving and perhaps lonely place.  But life is what it is and though an unpredictable blend of tears of joy as well as grief, we mustn't give up on the fascination of this mysterious journey.

If interested in the complete article "The Book of Linus" by Michael Koresky go to:
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Halloween and Peppermint Power

The Halloween season can be a favorite among children as they excitedly prepare their costumes in anticipation for parades, trick or treating, and then finally being able to sort out their goodies.

Some parents try to encourage the moderation method in how fast the candy gets consumed.  Others figure, gorge and get it out of temptations way.

The price to pay for overidulgence may be an upset stomach or a throbbing headache from all the sugar.
Prepare ahead and you'll be ready to deal with it all.

A natural remedy that should be in every kitchen cabinet is Peppermint. Peppermint is one of the oldest and most highly regarded herbs for soothing belly aches and digestion.

Peppermint is just one of the many types of mint in the Mentha family.  It is a perennial herb that if left unchecked, will happily take over your garden through its runner root system.  People often have a designated area just for mint or else they may confine it to barrels or tubs under the ground.

Peppermint makes a wonderful, cooling herbal tea for hot summer days, or it can easily be dried and stored for use anytime as a hot beverage.  Peppermint has the properties to relax contracted muscles, such as the case with stomach aches.

Besides the herbal leaf peppermint, you can utilitze peppermint's many uses by way of the essential oil.  Peppermint essential oil is one of the most powerful essences, incompatible with homeopathy (it will neutralize the potency).  Peppermint herbal tea is safe for young children but when it comes to the essential oil (external use only) it is recommended to not be used for children under the age of five as it is just too stong. Some sources say it is alright as a belly massage if diluted in olive oil (1-2 drops per 2 TB olive oil).  Check with your physician. For infants, a better choice for belly aches would be chamomile or lavender essential oil (1 drop each or 2 drops total in 2 TB olive oil).

It is said that peppermint is one of the best for headaches and nausea.  We tend to shallow breathe when in pain, which results in poorly oxygenated blood.  Peppermint helps to breathe deeper.  Headaches generally have 3 main pains:  the neck and shoulders, the stomach with nausea, and the forehead with sinusitis.  Apply a drop of peppermint essential oil or a bit of a massage oil containing peppermint and rub it where it hurts.

With cold season approaching, peppermint is wonderful to open up the airways to make breathing easier.  Add a few teabags to a pot of hot water and form a tent over the head with a towel to create a sauna effect.  Or add a few drops of essential oil to a simmer pot (if only using peppermint 5 drops may be strong enough) which will help purify an entire room.  Ideal for nighttime use while sleeping.  A favorite combination is 4 drops lavender essential oil, 4 drops eucalyptus essential oil, and 2 drops peppermint essential oil (the general rule for simmer pots is a total of 10 drops).

A last, useful tip for peppermint!  Rodents and ants detest its smell.  Add a few drops of the essential oil to a cotton ball and leave at the the point of suspected entry or site of activity.

Click here

This body, air or surface spray has a multitude of uses.  Cool off from hot weather, relieve a heat flash or a headache, improve concentration while studying, ease nausea from motion sickness or poor digestion, or just feel energized!

Click here

Great to keep handy in a home first aid kit or in the car glove compartment.  An herbal oil made by infusing fresh peppermint in olive oil, with the addition of child safe essential oils.  Helps to relieve the painful cramping of stomach muscles or the throbbing of a headache.


Should you be interested in actually growing and using fresh peppermint, here are some tips:

Peppermint likes sun but will tolerate some shade. Be aware that its roots are runners so if left unchecked it will spread. Some people plant it in some sort of container with drainage and then bury the container in the soil.

Cut the tea back periodically over the growing season to deter it getting lanky as it will when it goes into flower and the season nears an end. Snip what you need during the late morning hours after they've dried off but before the heat of the day.

To dry, you can bundle small bunches by the stems and hang to dry in an airy, cool area out of direct sunlight. When dry, strip off the leaves and store in paper bags.
Don't crumble the leaves until you are ready to use them or you'll lose much of the essential oils.
Or you can spread your herbs out on the trays of a kitchen dehydrator for much quicker drying.

When ready to use the usual rule is 1 teaspoon dry herb to 1 cup of hot water.
If using fresh, use 3 teaspoons herb to 1 cup hot water.

You don't want to boil tender teas. You pour the hot water over them and let simmer. On average, teas only need about 3 - 5 minutes to simmer. then sweeten with honey and add a wedge of lemon if desired.

A very simple, yet delicious way to enjoy mint is to simply add a few fresh stems to a pitcher of water. The water will have a subtle, refreshing minty taste. Start with fresh plant material with each refill of the pitcher. If the water hasn't been drunk within about 3 days, toss and start again because it'll start to taste funky.

                                                                                

 A memory I have as a child is being sent down to the water's edge of a pond to collect enough fresh mint to fill a large soup pot. If you do collect plants outside of your own yard, be sure the plants you are cutting were not sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. Mint shouldn't need either one but just know for sure before using the plants. Rinse off the stems of any dirt, cut to fit in the pot (stems, leaves and any flowering tops), add enough water to cover the plants, cover the pot and gently bring to the boiling point but don't boil, Cock the lid so it doesn't overflow and let the tea simmer about 5 to 10 minutes, depending how strong you like your tea. You don't want to simmer it too long or you'll lose the important essential oils in the steam. Strain out the plant material and add sugar to taste. For sweet tea, 1 cup sugar to a gallon of tea is tasty. Enjoy a cup of hot tea right away and let the rest cool and store in the refrigerator for ice tea. This is wonderfully refreshing on a hot day.

What Do Spiders Have To Do With Halloween?

Out with the dogs in the early morning hours I noticed the multitude of spider webs seemingly everywhere. The two types of webs most prevalent were that of the grass spider, who weaves the funnel type webs, and the garden spider, who weaves the round web we are most familiar.

I'm usually ok with spiders as long as they aren't actually crawling on me. Being a gardener I come across the orb spider fairly frequently. I know they won't hurt me but being the size they are, it always gives me a jolt. Spiders are beneficial arthropods, that survive by feeding on insects. Oftentimes they are the most important biological control of insect pests in gardens, fields, forests, and homes.

In fall and winter, spiders might be found lurking in dark corners of the house or the basement. For a female spider getting ready to lay eggs, she’d need to catch enough food so she would have the energy necessary for laying eggs. Then, she’d need someplace to tie up those eggs. For spider that makes webs, all this extra work would leave quite a few cobwebs around.

Click here for an interview with our local Penn State Horticulture Educator Emelie Swackhamer.

So why the connection with Halloween? Mainly it is a matter of association with that which people fear. People often are afraid of the dark, creepy, hidden places and any creatures lurking in such places. Walking into a spider web is rarely a pleasant experience.

The spider web is said by some pagans to represent the wheel of life and time, the turning of the seasons. In addition the spider has eight legs - and there are eight major festivals in the pagan/Wiccan year. One of them is Samheim, which is a time to reconnect with our ancestors, and honor those who have died. This is the time when the veil between our world and the spirit realm is thin, so it's the perfect time of year to make contact with the dead.

Below are just a few of common spiders who are contentedly living amongst us just trying to survive. If we leave them alone, usually they try in earnest to leave us alone. Spiders are more common in our homes than we think. According to David Bodanis in his book "Secret House" the typical clean and tidy home still houses many, many spiders. These beneficials prefer to stay hidden in the dark corners of our cabinets and basements and quietly give us a hand in keeping those insects at bay who can do us harm. To destroy their webs and then spray liberally with poisonous insect spray just seems ludicrous.
Wolf spiders are common spiders outdoors and are occasionally seen indoors. They are moderate to large-sized spiders (1/4 - 3/4 inch long). Wolf spiders are found on the ground or under stones in a wide variety of habitats, such as forest floors, grassy meadows, swamps, and bogs. Some even like to live underground. They commonly hunt during the day or at night when it is warm. Wolf spiders are dark-colored, usually brownish or grayish, with white markings.
The bite of the Wolf Spider is poisonous but not lethal. Although non-aggressive, they bite freely if provoked and should be considered dangerous to humans. The bite may be very painful. First aid and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible, particularly as to children or the elderly.
Orb spiders are common spiders outdoors near buildings, but are usually not found indoors. They range in size from small to large (1/8 - 1 inch long) and are found in a variety of colors, with some being brightly colored. Orb spiders have large, swollen-looking abdomens, including some that are oddly shaped. They make the classic round, flat, wheel-like web familiar to most people.
The black and yellow argiope (are-JI-o-pee) spider, also known as the garden spider, is familiar to many. It is large (up to 1 inch long) and brightly colored black and yellow.
Another common orb spider is the barn spider (figure 9). It is large (4/5 inch long) and brownish in color.
The bite of Orb-Weaving Spiders is of low risk (not toxic) to humans. They are a non-aggressive group of spiders. Seldom bite. Be careful not to walk into their webs at night - the fright of this spider crawling over one's face can be terrifying.


Grass spiders, a type of funnel weaver, are common outdoors and are occasionally found indoors. They are generally brownish or grayish with light and dark stripes near the head. They have long spinnerets and are moderate-sized (3/4 inch long). Grass spiders construct a large sheet web with a funnel they use as a retreat. These webs are commonly built on the ground, around steps, window wells, foundations, and low shrubs.

These spiders are non-aggressive and the bite of these spiders is of low risk to humans.

Sure spiders are ghoulish but if you really look close at them they are fascinating. Certainly not so ugly they're cute as goes the saying, but we sure can't say mother nature is dull.