Halloween is a holiday with lots of creepy wildlife associated with it, but are they really so creepy? From toads to bats to owls, the National Wildlife Federation shares the facts about these animals and what they are up to at this time of year, which might dispel a few myths.

Susan and Gary De Wet have had the same tangerine tree growing in their Napa yard for more than 25 years, but this year, the tree gave them a surprise  in the form of a crop of record number of 2,345 super sweet pieces of fruit — “and that doesn’t include the ones that just fell off before we picked them,” Susan De Wet told the Register. “I’ve fed a lot of people with these tangerines, and they’ve all raved about how sweet they are. We’ve never had a crop like this.”

Author’s note: This story was being drafted as firefighters responded to a fast-moving wildfire in Napa County’s Deer Park area east of St. Helena Oct. 10. This event is yet another reason wildland fire awareness and preparation must be the year-round mantra of Napa County residents.

Halloween is just around the corner, the air is crisp, the pumpkins are appearing on doorsteps, and decorations in orange and black are all around the valley.