Wooly Bear caterpillars are the focus of one of the items in this week's news column. Dr. Michael Raupp of the University of Maryland (also known as
The Bug Guy) featured them in his October 14th, 2012
Bug of the Week column. In order to get a picture to accompany the news column, I sent out an email to MG's to keep their eye out and send me pictures if ones were spotted. Folks came through beautifully, with these pictures from three sources - Bob Haffly through MG trainee Judy Scriptunas, Laurie Collins, and Mike Kusko.
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Laurie Collins Picture 1 from Fannettsburg |
The Farmers Almanac
runs down the history of the Wooly Bear as
another peerless prognosticator of winter weather.
|
Laurie Collins Picture 2 from Fannettsburg |
Supposedly, the width of the orange stripe predicts the severity of the on-coming winter. The wider the stripe, the milder the winter.
|
Laurie Collins Picture 3 from Fannettsburg |
Fannetsburg is predicting a mild winter.
|
Bob Haffly - Judy Scriptunas from Amberson |
Amberson is predicting a severe winter (except this is the wrong species)
|
Bob Haffly Judy Scriptunas - from Amberson |
Another wrong species, but sure would be nice if the winter is
that mild.
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Bob Haffly Judy Scriptunas - Amberson |
Seems to comport with the Fannetsburg forecast.
|
Mike Kusko - Chambersburg |
The Chambersburg area says really mild, too.
|
Mike Kusko - Chambersburg |
Like Groundhog Day, there are several festivals throughout the country, celebrating the Wooly Worm:
Pennsylvania,
North Carolina, and
Ohio.
Not to be a spoilsport or anything, but MGs are supposed to link to the science of it all, so here are Extension Fact Sheets on the subject from
Michigan State University and the
University of Illinois.
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