Woolly bear caterpillars are the stuff of folklore – they are much sought after in some parts of the states. But what do the colors of a woolly bear mean? What is this legend, and how true is it? Let’s learn all about it!
The woolly bear, also known as woolly worm and fuzzy caterpillar, is the bristly caterpillar of the Isabella Tiger Moth.
They start to appear somewhere around early fall. There are two generations of woolly bears each year, the second generation that comes out around fall being more noticeable.
The colors of these fuzzy-looking creatures are said to be predictors of the upcoming winter. Woolly bears have black bands on both ends of their body and a reddish-brown color in the middle.
The legend goes that the longer the black bands, the more severe and long winter will be. Similarly, the wider brown band represents a mild winter.
In this article, we explain this legend, its origins, the truth behind it, what science says, and a lot more.
What Is a Wooly Bear Worm?
The woolly bear caterpillar is a common worm found across the US, Canada, and Mexico. There are typically two generations of woolly worms in a year, once in spring and once in summer.
After hatching from the egg, the larva feeds for a few days before pupating and hatching as a tiger moth. The lifespan of the moth is relatively short, as it dies shortly after mating and laying eggs.
In colder temperatures, the larva freezes solid throughout winter before breaking out and pupating.
In warmer climates, however, the caterpillar will feed for a couple of weeks after hatching before pupating.
These woolly creatures’ life cycle highly depends on their surrounding environment and temperature.
Interestingly, these fuzzy caterpillars curl into a tight ball and play dead when picked up or disturbed.
The Wooly Bear Folklore
The woolly bear caterpillars and their body colors are associated with several folklore and legends that say they can predict the weather.
These orange and black creatures start becoming visible during fall after they leave their food plants in search of darker spots to hibernate.
Thus, appearing right before winter, the color, size, and position of their fur coats have become synonymous with a winter forecast.
The most well-known folklore of the woolly bear correlates the color of its fur with the severity of the upcoming winter.
The woolly bear has black colored bands on both ends of its body, while the middle part is brownish red or orangish.
The legend goes that longer black bands on the woolly bear’s body depict a whiter and chiller winter coming up,
The wider the brown section is on its body, the milder the forthcoming winter will be.
Some forecasters also say that the woolly caterpillar’s body, segmented into 13 sections, represents 13 weeks of winter.
The orange bands signify milder winter weeks, while the black bands indicate the weeks of severe winter.
The black bands’ position is also apparently an indicator of the season.
A dark band near the head signifies that the winter will start with a bang, getting as chill as possible. And if the tail band is darker, the end of winter will be severe.
In another version, the woolly bear’s fur coat also represents what kind of winter it will be. If its coat is thicker and woollier, it will be a colder winter.
One final version talks about the woolly worm’s direction of travel. If it is seen traveling north, it will be a milder winter.
However, if the woolly bear is on a southward path, it indicates a colder winter.
C. H. Curran And His Experiment
The tale associated with the woolly worm persuaded entomologist Dr. C.H Curran to conduct an experiment in 1948.
At the Bear Mountain State Park near New York City, Dr. Curran collected as many woolly worms as he could in a day.
By observing the reddish-brown segments, he made a prediction for the upcoming winter through a reporter friend.
Over the next eight years, Dr. Curran continued his experiment to establish a scientific correlation.
During those years, his sample caterpillars had brown bands that were ⅓ the size of their body. And the winters during those years were, in fact, fairly mild.
However, this wasn’t enough evidence to establish any real scientific connection. His sample sizes were too small to produce any significant data. But folklore became even more popular than before.
Can A Wooly Bear’s Bands Really Predict Weather? Reality vs. Myth
Despite the popular legends and woolly worm festivals, scientists and entomologists say that these fuzzy worms cannot predict the winter.
There are scientific and evolutionary reasons for the colors and fur of these fuzzy worms. Woolly bears’ coloring depends on their age, species, and how long they’ve been feeding.
If the growing season has been good, they grow bigger. This results in narrower brown bands on their bodies.
Secondly, the caterpillar sheds its skin six times before maturing into an adult. With every successive shed, the colors change, becoming more reddish and less black.
Thirdly, there are around 260 species of tiger moths, each with distinct color patterning and variations.
So you could be seeing any of these species with any number of color combinations. It has nothing to do with how the upcoming winter will turn out.
As far as other legends go, the thickness of their fur or setae does not predict the severity of winter. It’s also not present to protect the caterpillar.
Instead, it helps them freeze controllably to hibernate during winter. Similarly, their travel direction is entirely determined by their search for a spot to curl up and hibernate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean if a woolly bear is all black?
If you see an all-black woolly bear, it does not mean that there will be a severe upcoming winter. You are likely seeing an altogether different species.
The Giant Leopard Moth Caterpillar is black and has bristles like the woolly bear. It has nothing to do with winter prediction.
What does it mean when a woolly bear caterpillar is all orange?
If you see an all-orange caterpillar that looks like a woolly bear, you’re likely seeing a Yellow Bear Caterpillar.
Or it could be a different species of the tiger moth. This is not indicative of a milder upcoming winter. These caterpillars look like this all the time.
What does it mean when a wooly worm is more brown than black?
There are scientific reasons why the woolly worm is more brown than black. Woolly worms shed their skins six times before turning into an adult.
With every successive shed, their fur becomes browner in color. So it’s possible that the worm you see is at a further stage to mature into an adult.
What does a white wooly bear mean?
Woolly worms are black and orange. If the worm you see is white with bristles like the woolly bear, it’s most likely the Hickory Tussock Moth’s larva.
Or it could be a species of the Virginia Tiger Moth. Either way, the color is not a prediction of the upcoming season.
Wrap Up
The woolly bear caterpillar, with its fall color palette of black and orange, is the caterpillar of the Isabella Tiger Moth.
It is seen right before winter and is famously associated with weather prediction legends.
However, entomologists state there are scientific reasons behind this fuzzy worm’s color and fur that, for years, have become the stuff of legends.
Thank you for reading.
10 Comments. Leave new
We have a wooly bear, that we have kept inside, but he got too warm and skipped the cocoon stage and became a moth.How do we take care of it until we can release it in the warm weather, as we live in freezing Minnesota! Thanks,S.D.
They do not eat as adults and they have a short lifespan.
i love these moths. Here in SW Utah they’re pretty common in October. Wouldn’t it be interesting to try and raise a few? Also, i wonder about the bright pink
coloring on their abdomens, and their sluggish demeanor when disturbed. Probably not edible for most creatures?
Most insects that have a foul taste or are inedible feed on plants with toxins, like milkweed, and to the best of our knowledge, the Painted Tiger Moths have caterpillars that are generalist feeders, so we do not believe there are inedible.
My wolly bear caterpillar is spitting light green drops?
She ate lettuce at night?
Are they more active at night??
My wolly bear caterpillar is spitting light green drops?
She ate lettuce at night?
Are they more active at night??
How many eggs do the Isabella Tiger Moths lay?
our best guess is between 200 and 400.
my daughter caught a tiger moth and kept it in a jar for two days, it laid eggs and died – we now have eggs in a jar that we would LOVE to see grow into their next stage … is there something we should do to ensure their survival?
Many Tiger Moths are general feeders. Providing food for the hatchlings is essential.