What kind of winter will we have in New England?

The Woolly Bear Caterpillar, sometimes called a Woolly Worm, has long been a “weather predictor” for the winter. If the brown, rust-colored band in the center of the caterpillar is wide, then folklore suggests that the coming winter will be mild. If the brownish-orange band is rather narrow, and more black appears on the caterpillar’s body, it will be a harsh winter. The Old Farmer’s Almanac tells us that the Woolly Bear Caterpillar is actually the larva for the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella). The Wolly Bear in the photograph above was spotted just yesterday, October 4, 2023. Its coloring bands seem to show us that this coming winter will be mild. Are you glad about that?

Photo: L. Ellsworth, 2023