I Found a Woolly Worm in Southern Indiana and It Has a Winter Prediction

I Spotted a Woolly Worm Here’s What It Says About Our Upcoming Winter

Forget the weather apps for a minute. According to an old piece of folklore, this fuzzy little caterpillar may already know what kind of winter is headed our way.

I know we are barely getting into fall, but apparently I have already received my first winter weather forecast and it came from a caterpillar.

I recently spotted this fuzzy little guy crawling across the pavement. At first, I didn’t think much of it. Then I remembered hearing about woolly worms and the old belief that their coloring can supposedly predict what kind of winter we have ahead of us.

Naturally, I had to investigate. And based on the woolly worm I found, things could be looking pretty good for those of us who aren't exactly begging for a brutal Tri-State winter.

First, What Exactly Is a Woolly Worm?

Despite the name, a woolly worm isn't actually a worm. It's a caterpillar specifically, the larval stage of the Isabella tiger moth.

They're typically black on both ends with a rusty brown or orange section through the middle. You're more likely to notice them wandering around during the fall as they search for a sheltered place to spend the winter.

But it's those black and brown bands that have turned this fuzzy little caterpillar into a celebrity in the world of weather folklore.

So, What Does My Woolly Worm Predict?

Take a look at the little guy I found.

Callie Sue

According to woolly worm folklore, the amount of brown versus black on the caterpillar is supposed to give us a hint about the winter ahead.

A wider rusty brown section is said to mean a milder winter, while more black supposedly signals a longer, colder and snowier one.

And unless my eyes are deceiving me, my little weather forecaster is sporting quite a bit of brown.

So, if we're trusting the woolly worm, I'm taking that as a vote for a relatively mild winter.

As someone who has to drive to work before the sun comes up, I am perfectly fine with that prediction.

Apparently, You Can Even "Read" Which Part of Winter Will Be Worse

Here's where things get even more interesting.

According to the folklore, it's not just how much black the woolly worm has — it's also where that black coloring appears.

More black toward the caterpillar's head supposedly means the beginning of winter will be harsher, while more black toward the tail is said to mean the rougher weather will arrive toward the end of the season.

Woolly bears also have 13 body segments, which folklore has connected to the roughly 13 weeks of winter.

Basically, we've turned a fuzzy caterpillar into a tiny meteorologist.

And I kind of love it.

Before We Start Putting Away the Snow Shovels...

There is one tiny problem with our furry little forecast.

Science says woolly worms can't actually predict the future.

According to the National Weather Service, the caterpillar's coloring can be influenced by things like age and growing conditions. Woolly bears also change their appearance as they molt, generally becoming less black and more reddish as they mature.

In other words, those bands tell us more about the caterpillar and the conditions it has already experienced than what Mother Nature has planned for us this winter.

Still, the folklore has been around for a surprisingly long time. The National Weather Service says beliefs surrounding the woolly worm date back to colonial times, but the idea gained even more attention after entomologist C. H. Curran studied woolly bears at Bear Mountain in New York beginning in 1948.

So, no, I'm probably not going to plan my entire winter wardrobe around one caterpillar I found crossing the pavement.

But am I rooting for him to be right?

Absolutely.

Now I Want to See Your Woolly Worms

This is where I need your help.

If you spot a woolly worm around Southern Indiana, Western Kentucky or Southern Illinois this fall, snap a picture before you let the little guy continue on his way.

Is yours mostly brown? Mostly black? Does it look anything like mine?

Maybe if enough of us find them, we can conduct our own completely unscientific Tri-State Woolly Worm Winter Forecast.

Send us your woolly worm pictures and let's see if our fuzzy forecasters agree on what's headed our way this winter.

Because really, why should the groundhog get all the attention?

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