It's woolly bear season in Indiana. The fuzzy little fellows are on the march, hunting for snuggly places to spend the winter. There they will spin a cocoon and work on becoming an Isabella Tiger Moth. Unlike the caterpillar, the moth is completely unremarkable. It's beige. Blah. But if you want to see one, you can overwinter a woolly worm with the directions found here: Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
Legend has it that the bands of the woolly bear predict the severity of the winter; the longer the red part, the colder the winter. So what do you think? Does that part look "long" to you?
And what are they trying to tell us when they roll up in a ball like this? I'm thinking, "Brrrrr. It's gonna get cold."*Update: I haven't seen Chuck since the day I took his picture, though a few more of my chrysanthemums have gone missing. Apparently, he too is hunkered down for the winter, safe and sound for now.
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9 comments:
Is that thing that huge? I didnt get an idea of the size for once I thought it's only as big as a catterpiller?
Photo:- The Village Woman
Great closeup of the woolly bear. Your photo shows great detail.
I love these little fellows. Last year in mid-October, they were all over the place here in Iowa. This year they weren't and I wondered why. I saw a ton of them on the path last year during a marathon and I rescued many of them from thousands of trampling feet. I think they're so cute.
KC, It's only about two inches long, maybe a little more. And they don't bite.
Eileen, thanks! I was frustrated by the black part, which came out mostly as a dark blob. I had to lighten the photo a bit.
Ds, I hadn't seen one in years, but they seem to be around this time. They do seem to love pavement, which never ends well.
Love this photos...I haven't seen any here but I need to get out and look. There is a woolly bear festival in my daughter's town. Lots of fun... I wanted to say that I too want to compost and am researching. I am going to have to do it carefully as I can't have it where it can be seen and identified by neighbors...Coffee grounds seem to be a good place for me to start. Michelle
Michelle - We don't have to worry about the neighbors, but I don't want to end up with a garbage dump instead of a compost pile. There's a thin line between the two. LOL
I love the shots of the wooly bear. Great post. I always wonder if some of the ways to predict the severity of winter work.
Great photos of woolly bear!!
Hi - just popped over to see this blog after seeing the link on Maraca! We retired (early) and moved to the country four years ago. When I started my blog, it was supposed to be about knitting and sewing, but living in the country has crept in - and quite a lot about food as well!! Regards Anne
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