Today, we bring you what may become an annual Greensboro woolly worm photo. Pyrrharctia isabella, or the banded woolly bear, is the larval stage of a moth that will winter over as a caterpillar. The furlike setae makes them resemble teddy bears and hide all of their segments and legs. Some people believe the more fuzzy black you see, the harsher the the winter will be. In reality, as the larvae mature, the black band decreases and the brown increases. In winter, the caterpillars freeze bit by bit except for their innermost cells. They can survive even Arctic temperatures as low as minus 90F. This photo of a wooly worm was taken one year to the day after the one we captured a year ago (Here). Although published later, both were taken on October 1st.
North Carolina is one of many states with a woolly worm contest. The 34th annual Woolly Worm Festival will be held in Banner Elk this Saturday and Sunday. This proves to be a special year because it is the 100th anniversary of Avery County, NC. (Learn more here). Traditional music and dancing will surely be great there during the festival. However, we may have to settle for donning black and brown and wandering around Greensboro this weekend.
Maybe you can have your own impromptu woolly worm race in your neighborhood. Otherwise, search GoTriad online (here) to find something that meets your interest this weekend.
He is so cute. Does he curl into a ball if you pick him up?
Posted by: barb farr | Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 06:29 PM
Yes. At least he did on the day we photographed him. For the record, we photographed and released!
Posted by: Janis | Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 08:13 PM
oh...
For a moment there, «Louis» thought that was a photo of his former father-in-law on that flower...
;-D
Posted by: Louis la Vache | Friday, October 14, 2011 at 11:09 AM
He (?) is a cute little fella. What do the Wooly Worms say about the Winter ahead? I know in Vermont they are predictors of weather yet to come.
I am not at all sure how that prediction is measured though,by the number of WWs? their "wool"length? their color being brighter? I need a Paul Harvey to tell me the rest of the story!
Posted by: Janis | Friday, October 14, 2011 at 02:50 PM