Wooly Worms & The Weather

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Jay

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Got a copy of Birds & Blooms from the neighbor the other day. Had an article in it about Wooly worms. I will painstakingly re-type the 'important' parts! ;-) Now after you read this....I'm sure there's plenty of us that are waiting for predictions from 'your' neck of the woods! :D I haven't seen any down my way...but my Mom up in SE Nebraska said she found an all black one the other day. :(

Do Wooly Worms Really Predict the Weather?
Every fall this bit of folk wisdom is passed down to another generation: Check the coloring of the wooly bear caterpillars for the winter weather forecast. but does this really work?
The wooly bear, which is an Isabella Tiger Month in larval form, has 13 segments. They are black at each end and reddish-brown in the center. Lots of black segements are said to predict a harsh winter, while a thick cluster of reddish-brown bands indicates a milder winter.
Over 50 years ago, entomologist C.H. Curran decided to test the theory by collecting wooly bears with his wife in new York's Bear Mountain State Park. The Currans continued their casual research for 8 years, and the caterpillars' "predictions" were accurate every time.
Most entomoligists scoff at the notion that wooly bears can predict the weather. They contened that the creatures' coat changes color over time, the only thing the black and brown bands tell you is how old the caterpillar is.
But some folks will swear by the wooly bear as a weather predictor. Why not pick one up and check out the winter forecast, just for the fun of it?
 
The local "experts' on woolyworms maintain that if they're all black they aren't wooley worms. Sure look like woolyworms to me.

dun
 
I found a 'wooley' worm that was bright lime green the other day. He was attached to one of my feed totes. His 'hairs' were like cactus needles and would break off and stick in you when you tried to move him. I don't know for sure what he was but I know to leave the green ones alone now.

JB
 
I had a man show me how he can cut a persimmon in such a manner that it would tell how the winter would be. I don't remember just how it went, but I do remember when he cut it a certan way it would have the appearance of a knife, a fork, or a spoon in the center and which ever one appeared would be the type of winter we would have.

Perhaps some of you have heard of this and can shed more light.
 
jw":1ltin220 said:
I had a man show me how he can cut a persimmon in such a manner that it would tell how the winter would be. I don't remember just how it went, but I do remember when he cut it a certan way it would have the appearance of a knife, a fork, or a spoon in the center and which ever one appeared would be the type of winter we would have.

Perhaps some of you have heard of this and can shed more light.

Do a search for the persimmon thread. It's all in there.

dun
 
I've heard a few of them also, such as looking at the winter hair on the cows, the quantity of spiders, pecan trees, wasps, geese, etc. After trying to apply the different methods I'm like Dun in that I'm generally inclined to think there's not much to them. But something about them is intriguing and I expect I'll keep on trying.

Craig-TX
 

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