Woolly Bears And Winter

By Mike • October 22, 2007 • 2 comments

The wonderful Woolly Bear Caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) is a common sight once October rolls around in temperate regions of the United States east of the Mississippi. The wooly bear, known also as the woolly worm, fuzzy bear, and black-ended bear, is reputed to signal the severity of the coming winter to those who understand the riddle of its bands. This caterpillar is black on both ends with a middle band a birder could only describe as rufous. Superstition assures us that the amount of rich rust-colored fuzz adorning a particular fuzzy bear is inversely proportional to the length and intemperance of the season ahead. The broader the bear’s black bands, the worse the winter.

Woolly Bear Caterpillar

Of course, reasonable folk realize that this caterpillar is no Cassandra at all. The breadth of a woolly bear’s bands tells us more about the previous season than the approaching one, as its rufous band narrows as the bug gets bigger, which happens when food is bountiful. Other factors such as age also affect the fuzz factor. A woolly bear won’t give you a clue regarding the coming cold.Â What you might get instead, assuming the larva reaches maturity, is a lovely Isabella Tiger Moth.

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About the Author

Mike

Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but what he really aspires to be is a naturalist. Besides founding 10,000 Birds and I and the Bird, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining sites and resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network.

2 Responses to “Woolly Bears And Winter”

Ann Marie, Alex & Alana Sep 8th, 2008 at 8:03 pm

Mike,

Thanks for the posting. Our family has found a few in the yard in Connecicut. They are now pets. I know they winter as Woolly Bears, but what can I feed them? We’ve got apple trees maple and oak, and various grasses, but winter is approaching and all I’ll have are pine needles.

Thanks for any help.

Ann Marie, Alex & Alana
Alex J Dec 17th, 2008 at 9:44 pm

I just found a wooly bear outside my porch. I think it was finding some shelter.. I made a house for it. It about 2/3’s of a foot long and about 3 inches tall. Is this okay? It has leaves, grass, soil on the bottom, and a sticks that go vertical that poke out the top from the plastic lid. The lid has about 20 holes, all small. And my wooly bear is very healthy. I’ve been spraying it once everday, not just the wooly bear, but the grass and the leaves right before I go to sleep. Then in the afternoon the next day, I put fresh materials into its house. Winter is coming and I’m afraid of what will happen when there is no more grass to get from out side. Help! Email me please. ajsaugust@yahoo.com

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