Wooly Bear Caterpillars

The cooler days of autumn often bring thoughts of the winter ahead.  As long-range weather forecasts can be difficult to predict, our thoughts may instead stray to long standing folklore.  One tale comes readily to mind as fall walks take us outside to observe the beauty of nature.

On our autumn walks it is not uncommon to come across the wooly bear caterpillar.  This caterpillar is often the first one we learn to recognize as it has three bands of color, two black bands at the front and back separated by one orange band in the middle.  According to popular folklore when the middle orange band is wider than the black bands we will have a mild winter.  If the black bands are wider than the middle orange band we will have a severe winter.  While there is no scientific proof to this, it is fun to see if the prediction is accurate.

The banded wooly bear caterpillar we see in fall will look for a secure place to hibernate over winter.  The common name wooly bear comes from its bushy hairs and the fact that it hibernates in winter just like bears do. Once cold weather really sets in, the wooly bear’s body will become frozen on the outside of its’ cells.  In spring it will thaw out, produce a cocoon and become a Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharcta Isabella).  This will occur whether the winter is mild or severe so the fall banded wooly bear caterpillar will survive to complete its’ life cycle and become a moth.