Word(ful) WOOLLEY BEAR Wednesday!
filed in cleveland, Memes, Nature stuff on Oct.21, 2009
Meet the WOOLLEY BEAR!
(Pyrrharctia Isabella)
The woolley bear is said to predict the type of winter we will have. The bigger the orange-ish rust-ish band between the black ‘fur’ is the indicator. The smaller the band, the badder the winter.
According to this little dude, we’re gonna have a mild winter. So um, yeah, we’ll see.
FUN FACTS: The woolley bear will survive out the winter in the caterpillar stage because he produces something called cryprotectants…and that keeps it’s body from freezing.
When winter is over, he’ll eat up all the grass, pupate and grow into an Isabella Tiger Moth.
They look prickly but are not poisonous but may irritate people with sensitive skin. I don’t touch them anyhow, because, well because it’s a crawly thing and who knows who touched it last.
Woolley bears play dead. (I swear, I’m NOT making that up!) In fact, on our hike the other day, we saw one we thought was dead…we saw him on the way back and he was just a scootin along like there was no next month.
Dick Goddard, a local weatherman in Cleveland started the first Woolley Bear Festival over 30 yrs ago in tribute to this bug. It’s a day long celebration complete with bands, a parade, costume contests for people and animals and all kinds of crazy orange and black fun. It’s held in Vermillion, Ohio. Oh, and in case you’re wondering? I did spell woolley bear correctly, lol.
October 21st, 2009 on 5:35 am
i have never saw or heard of these before. how cool and freaky! love the traditional of them predicting the weather
Tina from
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October 21st, 2009 on 7:02 am
I remember these in Ohio, but don’t think they are down here in SC. Cute little thing! I remember capturing them in jars for school so we could watch them turn into butterflies.
October 21st, 2009 on 7:19 am
that’s new to me. Although I think I had heard it before. Maybe he has last years colors,lol. I think it is going to be a heavy winter in our area.
AuntieE´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday-Critters Visit
October 21st, 2009 on 7:34 am
We have one of these little guys in our garage and yes I keep thinking he is dead but then he moves around..lol.
Cool info.
Bonnie´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday
October 21st, 2009 on 8:20 am
Mild winter huh? Does he have any other Woolley bear friends around? I’d like a second opinion just to be sure.
Aliceson´s last blog ..RTT- High On Easy Off
October 21st, 2009 on 8:40 am
Such an interesting little fella! I have seen yellow/black and white/black at dad and mom’s! These are actually one of my favorite creepy crawlies!
October 21st, 2009 on 10:30 am
Wonder if we have them in GA…in solid black??? I have a 5-year old that’s really hoping for a lot of snow!
)
Dina @ 4 Lettre Words´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday
October 21st, 2009 on 10:49 am
I love these guys — used to find them and carry them around as a kid and now my kids look for them
Marie´s last blog ..Mostly Wordless Wednesdays
October 21st, 2009 on 11:01 am
love these little wooly guys – my kids go nuts over them
October 21st, 2009 on 11:39 am
Wowy! That’s cool. My son could watch this critter all day.
Kekibird´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday #14
October 21st, 2009 on 11:45 am
Great picture and a nature lesson, love it! Happy WW!
Julia @ Easy Eco To Go´s last blog ..That’s How You Do Apples On Wordless Wednesday
October 21st, 2009 on 12:13 pm
How cool. We don’t see those around here. Not that I recall anyway. I love all the background info you give. Such fun to learn something new. Wondering what they serve at a Woolley bear festival? If it were in the south it’d be fried woolley bears on a stick, lol.
Cute little critters
Serendipity is Sweet´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday
October 21st, 2009 on 1:08 pm
Now I’m singing Woolley Bulley.
Jannie Funster´s last blog ..Rose DesRochers: Just how Great IS She?
October 21st, 2009 on 5:56 pm
Dood. I sure hope that Woolley bear is right!
Momisodes´s last blog ..A stitch in time just wastes it
October 21st, 2009 on 5:57 pm
I didn’t know that much about that little caterpillar.
Cascia @ Healthy Moms´s last blog ..Household Insecticides May Be Linked to Autoimmune Diseases
October 21st, 2009 on 6:10 pm
The Woolley bear looks like a good exfoliator.
Jeve (aka John and Steve)´s last blog ..Off to See the Wizard
October 21st, 2009 on 7:31 pm
Rut Ro… the one I saw two days ago was solid black.. Does that mean his band was soooo tiny I couldn’t see it.. hehee Just teasing.. well I did see an all black one but it’s not a wooley…
Brooke´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – Longing
October 21st, 2009 on 7:55 pm
I used to collect these things all the time when I was little. Now they give me the willies.
jen@OurDailyBigTop´s last blog ..what I learned this week…
October 21st, 2009 on 10:03 pm
He is kinda cute in a buggish, I’ll never touch it a million years kinda way!
October 21st, 2009 on 11:00 pm
We have them around here but I never knew they survived the winter. This blog is very educational today.
Breeder´s last blog ..Something Campy This Way Comes
October 22nd, 2009 on 8:58 am
They come out in the hundreds where my folks live. I knew there were stories about them you said but could never remember.. thanks.
And lets hope for the mild winter.
xx
October 22nd, 2009 on 12:54 pm
Gee, I learn something new every day! First, I’ve seen these caterpillars before, but never knew their name. I never knew they were like ground hogs (LOL), and I didn’t know anything about how they survive! Cool!
Jennifer´s last blog ..Top Ten Thursday – They Don’t Call ‘Em Crackberries For Nothin’
October 23rd, 2009 on 9:18 pm
Entymology lesson for the day? Done.
Cara´s last blog ..The One Where I Rant
October 27th, 2009 on 1:26 am
I think I’ve seen these before. Didn’t know the name though, so this is totally interesting.
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