What's Moving with Madi
November 14, 2022
Have you seen any of these little guys around lately?
Banded woolly bear catepillars (Pyrrharctia isabella) are commonly seen around late fall trying to find a nice place to stay over winter. They like to shelter in crevices of rocks and logs, as well as under dead plant material. After the winter, woolly bears create a cocoon and go through metamorphosis. Eventually they emerge as the Isabella tiger moth. There are at least 8 woolly bear species in the US. The banded woolly bear, shown here, is black at both ends with a brown/orangish band in the middle.
Do you know the folklore?
Folklore around the woolly bear states these fuzzy critters can predict winter weather. If you find a woolly bear with a large brown stripe, then the upcoming winter will be mild. However if you stumble upon a woolly bear that has a small brown stripe, then it will be a harsh winter.