Do Woolly Worms Really Predict Winter Weather?
ADVERTISEMENT
We just discovered one of these in our backyard Easter Sunday night. He had the wide rusty orange band in the middle and black on the sides. My grandson was so intrigued by it and so enjoyed looking it up on the internet to learn all about it!! Wants to see if we find any more. We were amazed to see one so early in the year. He is 8 years old and has Autism the high functioning spectrum. He is in 1st grade and loves exploring thins like this. We live in Millersport, Ohio near a bird refuge with frogs and turtles by buckeye lake. Loving the expiration of these things out here.
My husband brought in a wooly bear caterpillar 1 month ago before our extreme cold temps. We have it in a "bug barn" and are feeding it greens (cucumber, lettuce, broccoli). What's the best thing to do? If I put it outside now it would freeze solid. Can it survive indoors until spring? Feel like we messed this little creature up.
FYI there are 3 distinct bands on this one/ two are black and the smaller middle one rust colored/ Am expecting more of this bitter weather.
Hi Nancy,
Woolly bear caterpillars are quite fascinating. As the weather begins to cool in the fall, they will find a place to hibernate for the winter. They produce a substance called glycerol, which is essentially like an antifreeze in their bodies. As the weather continues to turn colder, woolly bears will slowly freeze, but the glycerol prevents their inner cells from freezing, allowing them to survive in the most extreme winter conditions.
At this point, putting the caterpillar outside is not advised. You should continue to care for it until spring and when the temperatures warm then put it outside. With any hope it will return to its normal life cycle and soon build a cocoon.
As for the size of the bands, according to legend, if there is more black on the caterpillar and the rust brown middle section is narrow, the more severe the winter will be. Based on your description, it sounds like it might be quite the winter.
Here in Port Clinton OH -- I found a wooly in Oct and it was almost completely orange but very dark not a bright orange and then in Nov I found another one and it was more than half black and the orange was brighter. Guess I will have to see what winter brings as I don't know what to think of my woolies!
My horse’s coat! She’s a ghost paint half Arab, meaning; in the field she looks like a white horse. Closer up, areas of flea bitten bloody shoulder. Give her a bath and she’s a black and white paint. South of Phoenix. If she grows early and shaggy it’ll be a cool probably rainy winter.
When her black muzzle shows in winter, it’s milder. She is always right on. She tells me when winter is over too. One day seems like another until I come in covered in short white horse hair, that’s the day winter is over.
That’s a great way to tell! Animals always seem to know.
I watch squirrels. For the first time this Fall the squirrels stripped my apple trees bare of apples also they have been building larger nests up higher. We have for decades always picked several bushels of apples-but not this year. They have not been burying the apples but carrying them up high.
We suspect then alot of cold and deep long lasting or frequent snows this Winter
We live above 6,100’ a bit south and west of Denver
I found one that’s all light brown , any idea what that means
Looks like it may be a mild winter!
Back in 2014 winter I was only able to find one woolly worm it was completely white and very fuzzy. I never seen a white one before in my life. But I knew it meant something. On Feb 14 2015 it was very sunny out and very warm. And the weather kept calling for a white out blizzard weather. Went to the gas station about 10 minutes away and all at once the snow fell and couldn't see anything it was a complete white out. It took 1 hour to get home. So yeah the white woolly worm is very special also. I have the pic of it and back then I shared it on fb. It represents a cold blizzard white out. My mom told me about the woolly worms back 1n the 70's so every year I have to stop and look at them. It's like a Hobbie but it gives knowledge also. Thank You. Anna 🙎♀️