The Woolly Bear Caterpillar (Pyrrharctia Isabella) is normally associated with an approaching winter as it is often seen walking around the ground at the same time as the first frost of the season. Unlike most other caterpillars that overwinter as eggs or cocoons, Woolly Bears spend the frigid winter month in caterpillar form (larval stage) under leaf litter. This caterpillar has the capability of creating a natural anti-freeze that protects the interior of their cells allowing them to survive in freezing temperatures dipping down as low as -90 degrees Fahrenheit. As the temperatures warm in the spring, the Woolly Bear shakes off hibernation and re-emerges to feed again before building a cocoon.
These caterpillars can be found throughout the United States, as well as, southern Canada. They are also known as “Banded Woolly Bears,” “Black-ended Bears,” and generically as “woolly worms.” As an adult moth, they do not feed at all. As a caterpillar, they will feed on a variety of plants including grasses, clovers, sunflowers, and maple and elm trees. It should be noted, even when observed in quantity, Woolly Bears are not considered a pest of either the garden or the farm.
When disturbed, these caterpillars will role themselves into cute little balls. These antics combined with the “fuzzy nature” of them make them very inviting to touch. Please don’t! While the Woolly Bear does not bite and lacks stingers, the hairs easily break off into skin when touched. These little hairs mimic that of fiberglass and have the potential of causing pain and irritation.
The Woolly Bear Caterpillar Moth receives its name from the appearance of the caterpillar, not the adult moth. Its caterpillar form starts small, mostly black, and entirely covered in stiff hairs. As they grow, they become more reddish-orange and less black with the black coloring concentrating at both the front and back ends, and with a red-orange band at the waist. Legend holds that the length of the Woolly bear’s red-orange band can be used to predict the severity of the upcoming winter; a short band means a cold bitter winter and a wide red band means a warm winter. The myth dates to colonial American folklore with its popularity heightening after a study published in 1948.
As with most myths, someone is always trying to prove it right or wrong. Several scientific studies have since been conducted where measurements were taken of the red-orange band on Woolly Bears and then compared to the following winter records. It was discovered the colors on the Woolly Bear have no bearing at all on forecasting future weather. However, what they did discover was the colors may a record of past weather. All Woolly Bears start with a body completely black. As the year progresses, the black hairs turn to the characteristic red-orange in the center. Therefore, the longer the summer, the wider the center band will be and the shorter the summer, the narrower the band will be. Whatever they may be telling us if you are seeing them right now, be assured, the warm temperatures of summer are on the horizon.
