Wooly Bears 2006
Click for larger pictureOkay, I’ve gotten in recent conversations with several people about wooly bear caterpillars (the larva of the Isabella Tiger Moth or Pyrrharctia isabella for those of you who are scientific minded) and if they can "predict" the severity of the upcoming winter.
Today, I was walking on one of our rail-trails and I found some examples for you. (I walked 11.5 miles pretty much without stopping, with the exception of short periods of caterpillar abduction. I am feeling the burn though). The picture above has five wooly bears that I found within several yards of each other along the trail near the Uffington Bridge, Morgantown, WV. Fellas A, C and D are your "standard" variety, but note the nice broad brown bands. Fellas B and E are almost all brown. (You can click on the picture to get a bigger one). Looks like a nice mild winter! I found other mostly brown ones but they were ran over and wouldn’t make a nice picture.
Also, don’t get wooly bears confused with the caterpillar of the Giant Leopard Moth (Hypercompe scribonia): http://bugguide.net/node/view/35365/bgimage
Some further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrharctia_isabella
http://bugguide.net/node/view/539
http://lancaster.unl.edu/Feature/guess10_3.htm
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2005/11-9/caterpillar.html
Great site for caterpillar identification:
http://www.whatsthiscaterpillar.co.uk/america/index.htm
Vermillion, Ohio actually has a big Wooly Bear festival!
http://vermilionohioharbourtown.homestead.com/VermilionOhioWoollyBearFestival.html
