Woollybears – Weather Predictors

Do you remember finding Woollybears when you were a kid?
Did you know they can predict the winter?*

Walking in nature is a family activity in our home. We walk the dogs everyday and seem to find something  to talk about. Today it was Woollybears.

Do you remember finding woollybears when you were a kid? When we found this little caterpillar it brought me back to playing outside with friends, finding and collecting insects and getting dirty! As soon as I picked it up, it curled right into a ball.

Finding the fuzzy caterpillar reminded me of the Golden Guide books that my Nana would share with me – I went home and found this one from her, printed in 1966 and read up on these little weather forecasters!

From the book, Insect Pests, A Golden Guide printed in 1966, “Woollybears are orange or yellow and black caterpillars that feed on all kinds of garden vegetables. They may produce two broods per year. None of the several species are serious pests of particular plants….The caterpillars roll into a ball when disturbed. In folklore the width of the bands on the caterpillar’s body is said to forecast the winter – the more black, the colder the winter.”

*That’s right “In folklore the width of the bands on the caterpillar’s body is said to forecast the winter – the more black, the colder the winter.” (source Insect Pests, A Golden Guide 1966)
This one was mostly orange – but based on how chilly it was this morning, I think we need to go find another one and get a second opinion.