| The Wonderful Woolly Bear Caterpillar
Caterpillar Puzzle
Caterpillar Coloring
Where is the Caterpillar?
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| GLOSSARY |
| Abdomen |
The posterior region of the body behind the thorax |
| Habitat |
The place where an animal normally lives and grows |
| Hibernate |
To pass the winter in a resting state |
| Predict |
To declare in advance |
| Segments |
Separate pieces |
| Setae |
Bristly hairs |
 Photo courtesy of Denrose of the Woolly Bear Forecast |
The Wonderful Woolly Bear Caterpillar
 The wonderful Woolly Bear Caterpillar is known far and wide for its black and cinnamon brown bristly body. Commonly seen in mid-autumn and again in mid-spring, this caterpillar is about 2 inches long. The woolly bear’s body is made up of 13 distinct segments which are covered by dense, setae.
The woolly bears eat low-growing herbaceous plants, clovers and wild forbs. Young maple and birch trees are also favored by the woolly bear. They do not typically eat crops or ornamentals. The favored habitat of the woolly bear is meadows, pastures and road sides. They can also be found along woodland edges.
Spring woolly bears eat from the time they hatch, until they spin a cocoon, and pupate into their adult form. Fall woolly bears, eat until the temperatures signal it’s time for them to hibernate. As the weather warms back up in the spring, the fall woolly bears emerge from their hiding spots to eat briefly, and pupate into the Isabella Moth. The fall woolly bears are more noticed as they scurry across roads and sidewalks searching for a safe, sheltered spot to over winter.
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Photo courtesy of A. B. Sheldon
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The Isabella Moth is approximately 1 to 2 inches long with tan-yellow wings with small black dots. Its wingspan is about 2 inches and its abdomen has small black spots on each segment.
According to folklore, the coloring of the woolly bear “predicts” the severity of the upcoming winter. It was once thought to believe that the larger the amount of black found on the woolly bear meant that the winter was going to be harsh. More cinnamon brown than black was believed to mean winter would be mild.
Aren’t Woolly Bears Wonderful?
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