Can These Wooly Caterpillars Really Predict The Severity of Winter?

We’ve all heard of Punxsutawney Phil and his famous weather precitictions coming out of Pennsylvania but did you know people in the Northwest turn to larval moths as a weather indicator.

Thanks to the good folks a KOMO News out of Seattle, Washington for enlightening us on this interesting bit of local weather folklore. Here’s the scoop on how to use wooly bear caterpillars (which turn into Isabella tiger moths) to foretell the winter ahead:

“Longer black bands on the woolly bear indicate a severe winter. Whereas a wide middle brown band means a mild winter. Supposedly, the position of the longest dark band indicates which part of winter will be coldest.”

Not putting a ton of stock in this folksy method of long range weather forecasting (the color patterns are dictated by the growing season and age of the insect) but it’s fun and gives us a reason to go walking in the woods as wait for the ski season to commence.

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