All Black Wooly Bear Catepillars - Severe Winter?
While out scouting deer this week, I was walking through a freshly cut soybean field in Mansfield and came across three different wooly buggers and they were all black. Can't say I have ever seen that before. I have seen mostly brown with a little black and half and half. They were also all crawling South heading for warmer climates. I googled this and everything points to a cold nasty winter. Another friend of mine told me he has seen a few all black also in other areas.
What are your thoughts? Any farmers almanac readers out there?
fishmaker1 
mr snowWhile interesting. I'm not sure I agree with the old story. Here's something to read I learned allot and read the comments on bottom it seems they are seeing black all over this year.If I read correctly it means they are younger (all black) and had gotten a late start last spring. Which we did have a late spring start so maybe something to it?
http://www.almanac.com/content/predicting-winter-weather-woolly-bear-caterpillars
They started skiing at Killington in VT:
http://www.killington.com/winter/index.html
But, an October opening is nothing special for this ski area...
iJay3 Fishmaker1.....I have seen them in the same area. Another Almanac tale is that when crickets are close to the hearth it will be a bad winter. And I have seen and heard them them in the house.
Wild Angel I followed the tale of the wooly bear for many years and often, like your horoscope. they are spot on.
But sometimes, like last year, they are way off.
I don't trust any more but I have never seen all black ones like this for over a decade.
They don't predict snow, just temperatures, and when banded, you can supposedly get a guesstimate but don't have a clue as to start time and end time of their prediction.
If Bryan took a swag I would trust him more.
mistergoogle Commenting is no longer available.