Goblins
Descend into the semi-darkness of certain caves and old, ancient structures and you might find the ultimate Halloween treat. These damp, dingy places are the perfect spot for goblins to hide their gold.
As the light starts to fade, look out for a golden-green glimmer on the rocks. A closer look will reveal moss sprawling across the surface, shifting from dull green to glowing as the light hits it just right.
This plucky plant is known as goblin’s gold. It has evolved to thrive in gloomy places, where it’s too dark for other plants to survive. To get enough sunlight to grow, the moss has tiny lens-like cells that focus the faint light onto its chloroplasts. The luminous glow is a delightful side effect of this superb survival strategy.
Actual goblins may be harder to find, but there are creatures that share their name lurking beneath bark, stones and leaf litter. Goblin spiders are tiny and pink. They emerge at night to hunt, sometimes scavenging prey from the webs of other spiders.