During most Wooly Worm Festivals (also spelled Woolly Worm Festival) other fun activities take place such as games, arts and crafts, live music, and prize giveaways. For m ore information about the Wooly Worm Festival and Beattyville Car Show visit Kentucky Festivals at www.kyfestivals.com.

About the Wooly Worm

The Wooly worm is actually a caterpillar or the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth. The tiger moth belongs to the arctiidae family, which has 11,000 species of moths around the world. The tiger moth is a beautiful creature with bright colors such as scarlet, yellow, orange, and white and rich hues ranging from black to beige. Equally as bright and beautiful, the Wooly worm may have a burnt orange color in the middle and it may be black on both ends. Some Wooly worms, however, are completely black or completely brown.

Wooly worms may look small, but these dazzling creatures have 13 segments and three sets of legs. They have tiny eyes, but they make their way around mostly by feeling around and touching. Once the Wooly worm has found its home for the winter, it secretes an all-natural and organic antifreeze that protects the interior of its cells. Everything else will freeze, but the Wooly worm will still survive. The antifreeze protects the creature in freezing temperatures that can dip as low as –90 degrees Fahrenheit. The wooly worm is also protected by shelter. It chooses its places to hide wisely. It crawls under logs, boulders, boards, rocks, and other dark places. The Wooly worm will remain in its “frozen” state until May, when it will emerge as a brilliantly colored moth.

Prior to settling in for the winter, the Wooly worm will survive by eating a variety of plants such as cabbage, spinach, grass, and clover. And to protect itself from predators, the Wooly worm will curl up into a ball, exposing only its bristles, which can be quite irritating to the skin.

How the Wooly Worm Predicts the Weather

In some parts of the world, it is believed that the severity of the winter can be predicted by the intensity of the black on the Isabella tiger moth’s larvae (caterpillar). In the American Northeast, it is believed that if the Wooly worm has more brown on its body than black, it will be a fair winter. If the Wooly worm has more black than brown, the winter will be harsh.

The furry Wooly worm can be spotted during the fall months in great numbers inching along the ground. While you will notice them in great numbers during the fall months, the Wooly worm actually has two life cycles, so they can also be found inching around in June and July as well.

Also called the “Wooly Bear Worm” mostly in New England and the Midwestern United States, the Wooly worm has a pretty good weather prediction rate. Scientists would prefer not to acknowledge it, but the Wooly worm has an 80-85% accuracy rate for predicting the weather. The worm has held its record for accuracy for more than 20 years.

If you want to see the Wooly worm in action, don’t seek them out at night. Remember, worms are nocturnal for the most part, not caterpillars. The Wooly worm is very active during the day. It is not uncommon to spot them in groups of hundreds, with one common goal – to find the perfect place to hide.

So the question is “can woolly worms really predict the winter?” Well, maybe. In some parts of the world, it is believed that the severity of the winter can be predicted by the intensity of the black on the Isabella tiger moth’s larvae (caterpillar). In the American Northeast, it is believed that if the woolly worm has more brown on its body than black, it will be a fair winter. If the woolly worm has more black than brown, the winter will be harsh.

Also called the “woolly bear” in New England and the Midwestern United States, the woolly worm has a pretty good weather prediction rate. Scientists would prefer not to acknowledge it, but the woolly worm has a 80-85% accuracy rate for predicting the weather. The worm has held its record for accuracy for more than 20 years.

About the Woolly Worm

The woolly worm is actually a caterpillar or the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth. The tiger moth belongs to the arctiidae family, which has 11,000 species of moths around the world. The tiger moth is a beautiful creature with bright colors such as scarlet, yellow, orange, and white and rich hues ranging from black to beige. Equally as bright and beautiful, the woolly worm may have a burnt orange color in the middle and it may be black on both ends. Some woolly worms, however, are completely black or completely brown.

The furry woolly worm can be spotted during the fall months in great numbers inching along the ground. While you will notice them in great numbers during the fall months, the woolly worm actually has two life cycles, so they can also be found inching around in June and July.

Woolly worms may look small, but these dazzling creatures have 13 segments and three sets of legs. They have tiny eyes, but they make their way around mostly by feeling around and touching. Once the woolly worm has found its home for the winter, it will create a natural organic antifreeze that protects the interior of its cells. Everything else will freeze, but the woolly worm will still survive. The antifreeze protects the creature in freezing temperatures that can dip as low as –90 degrees Fahrenheit. The wooly worm is also protected by shelter. It chooses its places to hide wisely. It crawls under logs, boulders, boards, rocks, and other dark places. The woolly worm will remain in its “frozen” state until May, when it will emerge as a brilliantly colored moth.

Prior to settling in for the winter, the woolly worm will survive by eating a variety of plants such as cabbage, spinach, grass, and clover. And to protect itself from predators, the woolly worm will curl up into a ball, exposing only its bristles, which can be quite irritating to the skin.

If you want to see the woolly worm in action, don’t look for them at night. Remember, worms (not caterpillars) are nocturnal. The woolly worm is very active during the day. It is not uncommon to spot them in groups of hundreds, all of them with one common goal – to find a place to hide when night falls.

During most Wooly Worm Festivals (also spelled Woolly Worm Festival) other fun activities take place. Beattyville Kentucky Wooly Worm Festival activities include: Wooly worm races, games, arts and crafts, live music, and prize giveaways.

About the Wooly Worm

The Wooly worm is actually a caterpillar or the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth. The tiger moth belongs to the arctiidae family, which has 11,000 species of moths around the world. The tiger moth is a beautiful creature with bright colors such as scarlet, yellow, orange, and white and rich hues ranging from black to beige. Equally as bright and beautiful, the Wooly worm may have a burnt orange color in the middle and it may be black on both ends. Some Wooly worms, however, are completely black or completely brown.

Wooly worms may look small, but these dazzling creatures have 13 segments and three sets of legs. They have tiny eyes, but they make their way around mostly by feeling around and touching. Once the Wooly worm has found its home for the winter, it will create a natural organic antifreeze that protects the interior of its cells. Everything else will freeze, but the Wooly worm will still survive. The antifreeze protects the creature in freezing temperatures that can dip as low as –90 degrees Fahrenheit. The wooly worm is also protected by shelter. It chooses its places to hide wisely. It crawls under logs, boulders, boards, rocks, and other dark places. The Wooly worm will remain in its “frozen” state until May, when it will emerge as a brilliantly colored moth.

Prior to settling in for the winter, the Wooly worm will survive by eating a variety of plants such as cabbage, spinach, grass, and clover. And to protect itself from predators, the Wooly worm will curl up into a ball, exposing only its bristles, which can be quite irritating to the skin.

How the Wooly Worm Predicts the Weather

In some parts of the world, it is believed that the severity of the winter can be predicted by the intensity of the black on the Isabella tiger moth’s larvae (caterpillar). In the American Northeast, it is believed that if the Wooly worm has more brown on its body than black, it will be a fair winter. If the Wooly worm has more black than brown, the winter will be harsh.

The furry Wooly worm can be spotted during the fall months in great numbers inching along the ground. While you will notice them in great numbers during the fall months, the Wooly worm actually has two life cycles, so they can also be found inching around in June and July as well.

Also called the “Wooly Bear Worm” mostly in New England and the Midwestern United States, the Wooly worm has a pretty good weather prediction rate. Scientists would prefer not to acknowledge it, but the Wooly worm has an 80-85% accuracy rate for predicting the weather. The worm has held its record for accuracy for more than 20 years.

If you want to see the Wooly worm in action, don’t seek them out at night. Remember, worms are nocturnal for the most part, not caterpillars. The Wooly worm is very active during the day. It is not uncommon to spot them in groups of hundreds, with one common goal – to find the perfect place to hide.

Woolly worms may look small, but these dazzling creatures have 13 segments and three sets of legs. They have tiny eyes, but they make their way around mostly by feeling around and touching. Once the woolly worm has found its home for the winter, it will create a natural organic antifreeze that protects the interior of its cells. Everything else will freeze, but the woolly worm will still survive. The antifreeze protects the creature in freezing temperatures that can dip as low as –90 degrees Fahrenheit. The wooly worm is also protected by shelter. It chooses its places to hide wisely. It crawls under logs, boulders, boards, rocks, and other dark places. The woolly worm will remain in its “frozen” state until May, when it will emerge as a brilliantly colored moth.

Prior to settling in for the winter, the woolly worm will survive by eating a variety of plants such as cabbage, spinach, grass, and clover. And to protect itself from predators, the woolly worm will curl up into a ball, exposing only its bristles, which can be quite irritating to the skin.

Caring for Woolly Worms

According to Greg Stack, University of Illinois Extension Educator in Horticulture, “Woolly bear caterpillars overwinter as larva. In the late summer and fall they tend to prefer to feed on either violets or the weed called lambs quarter so what you can do is provide it with those things to feed on. They then start to look for a place to spend the winter. The other requirement in order for this caterpillar to turn into a moth is cold. The cage that you have would be best if it were covered with some type of metal screen instead of fabric netting. The reason for this is that the cage with the caterpillar inside will need to be buried in the ground next to the foundation of the house and then covered with leaf litter. It needs to be left there over the winter and if in a fabric covered cage rodents might get inside and eat the caterpillar. You can think about burying the cage when the weather starts to get cold. Leave the cage in the ground until about late April or Mid May. Dig it up and there should be a pupa inside which will transform into a 1-2 inch white colored moth.”

About Woolly Worms

The woolly worm (also spelled “wooly worm”) is actually a caterpillar or the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth. The tiger moth belongs to the arctiidae family, which has 11,000 species of moths around the world. The tiger moth is a beautiful creature with bright colors such as scarlet, yellow, orange, and white and rich hues ranging from black to beige. Equally as bright and beautiful, the woolly worm may have a burnt orange color in the middle and it may be black on both ends. Some woolly worms, however, are completely black or completely brown.

In some parts of the world, it is believed that the severity of the winter can be predicted by the intensity of the black on the Isabella tiger moth’s larvae (caterpillar). In the American Northeast, it is believed that if the woolly worm has more brown on its body than black, it will be a fair winter. If the woolly worm has more black than brown, the winter will be harsh.

Also called the “woolly bear,” mostly in New England and the Midwestern United States, the woolly worm has a pretty good weather prediction rate. Scientists would prefer not to acknowledge it, but the woolly worm has a 80-85% accuracy rate for predicting the weather. The worm has held its record for accuracy for more than 20 years.

If you want to see the woolly worm in action, don’t seek them out at night. Remember, worms are nocturnal for the most part, not caterpillars. The woolly worm is very active during the day. It is not uncommon to spot them in groups of hundreds, all of them with one common goal – to find a place to hide.

About Woolly Worms

The woolly worm (also spelled “wooly worm”) is actually a caterpillar or the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth. The tiger moth belongs to the arctiidae family, which has 11,000 species of moths around the world. The tiger moth is a beautiful creature with bright colors such as scarlet, yellow, orange, and white and rich hues ranging from black to beige. Equally as bright and beautiful, the woolly worm may have a burnt orange color in the middle and it may be black on both ends. Some woolly worms, however, are completely black or completely brown.

In some parts of the world, it is believed that the severity of the winter can be predicted by the intensity of the black on the Isabella tiger moth’s larvae (caterpillar). In the American Northeast, it is believed that if the woolly worm has more brown on its body than black, it will be a fair winter. If the woolly worm has more black than brown, the winter will be harsh.

The furry woolly worm can be spotted during the fall months in great numbers inching along the ground. While you will notice them in great numbers during the fall months, the woolly worm actually has two life cycles, so they can also be found inching around in June and July.

Woolly worms may look small, but these dazzling creatures have 13 segments and three sets of legs. They have tiny eyes, but they make their way around mostly by feeling around and touching.
Once the woolly worm has found its home for the winter, it will create a natural organic antifreeze that protects the interior of its cells. Everything else will freeze, but the woolly worm will still survive. The antifreeze protects the creature in freezing temperatures that can dip as low as –90 degrees Fahrenheit. The wooly worm is also protected by shelter. It chooses its places to hide wisely. It crawls under logs, boulders, boards, rocks, and other dark places. The woolly worm will remain in its “frozen” state until May, when it will emerge as a brilliantly colored moth.

Prior to settling in for the winter, the woolly worm will survive by eating a variety of plants such as cabbage, spinach, grass, and clover. And to protect itself from predators, the woolly worm will curl up into a ball, exposing only its bristles, which can be quite irritating to the skin.

Also called the “woolly bear,” mostly in New England and the Midwestern United States, the woolly worm has a pretty good weather prediction rate. Scientists would prefer not to acknowledge it, but the woolly worm has a 80-85% accuracy rate for predicting the weather. The worm has held its record for accuracy for more than 20 years.

If you want to see the woolly worm in action, don’t seek them out at night. Remember, worms are nocturnal for the most part, not caterpillars. The woolly worm is very active during the day. It is not uncommon to spot them in groups of hundreds, all of them with one common goal – to find a place to hide.

Caring for Woolly Worms

According to Greg Stack, University of Illinois Extension Educator in Horticulture, “Woolly bear caterpillars overwinter as larva. In the late summer and fall they tend to prefer to feed on either violets or the weed called lambs quarter so what you can do is provide it with those things to feed on. They then start to look for a place to spend the winter. The other requirement in order for this caterpillar to turn into a moth is cold. The cage that you have would be best if it were covered with some type of metal screen instead of fabric netting. The reason for this is that the cage with the caterpillar inside will need to be buried in the ground next to the foundation of the house and then covered with leaf litter. It needs to be left there over the winter and if in a fabric covered cage rodents might get inside and eat the caterpillar. You can think about burying the cage when the weather starts to get cold. Leave the cage in the ground until about late April or Mid May. Dig it up and there should be a pupa inside which will transform into a 1-2 inch white colored moth.”

During most Woolly Worm Festivals (also Wooly Worm Festival) other fun activities take place. Woolly Worm Festival activities include: woolly worm races, games, crafts, live music, and prize giveaways.

About the Woolly Worm

The woolly worm is actually a caterpillar or the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth. The tiger moth belongs to the arctiidae family, which has 11,000 species of moths around the world. The tiger moth is a beautiful creature with bright colors such as scarlet, yellow, orange, and white and rich hues ranging from black to beige. Equally as bright and beautiful, the woolly worm may have a burnt orange color in the middle and it may be black on both ends. Some woolly worms, however, are completely black or completely brown.

Woolly worms may look small, but these dazzling creatures have 13 segments and three sets of legs. They have tiny eyes, but they make their way around mostly by feeling around and touching.
Once the woolly worm has found its home for the winter, it will create a natural organic antifreeze that protects the interior of its cells. Everything else will freeze, but the woolly worm will still survive. The antifreeze protects the creature in freezing temperatures that can dip as low as –90 degrees Fahrenheit. The wooly worm is also protected by shelter. It chooses its places to hide wisely. It crawls under logs, boulders, boards, rocks, and other dark places. The woolly worm will remain in its “frozen” state until May, when it will emerge as a brilliantly colored moth.

Prior to settling in for the winter, the woolly worm will survive by eating a variety of plants such as cabbage, spinach, grass, and clover. And to protect itself from predators, the woolly worm will curl up into a ball, exposing only its bristles, which can be quite irritating to the skin.

How the Woolly Worm Predicts the Weather

In some parts of the world, it is believed that the severity of the winter can be predicted by the intensity of the black on the Isabella tiger moth’s larvae (caterpillar). In the American Northeast, it is believed that if the woolly worm has more brown on its body than black, it will be a fair winter. If the woolly worm has more black than brown, the winter will be harsh.

The furry woolly worm can be spotted during the fall months in great numbers inching along the ground. While you will notice them in great numbers during the fall months, the woolly worm actually has two life cycles, so they can also be found inching around in June and July as well.

Also called the “woolly bear,” mostly in New England and the Midwestern United States, the woolly worm has a pretty good weather prediction rate. Scientists would prefer not to acknowledge it, but the woolly worm has an 80-85% accuracy rate for predicting the weather. The worm has held its record for accuracy for more than 20 years.

If you want to see the woolly worm in action, don’t seek them out at night. Remember, worms are nocturnal for the most part, not caterpillars. The woolly worm is very active during the day. It is not uncommon to spot them in groups of hundreds, with one common goal – to find the perfect place to hide.

In some parts of the world, it is believed that the severity of the winter can be predicted by the intensity of the black on the Isabella tiger moth’s larvae (caterpillar). In the American Northeast, it is believed that if the woolly worm has more brown on its body than black, it will be a fair winter. If the woolly worm has more black than brown, the winter will be harsh.

The furry woolly worm can be spotted during the fall months in great numbers inching along the ground. While you will notice them in great numbers during the fall months, the woolly worm actually has two life cycles, so they can also be found inching around in June and July.

Woolly worms may look small, but these dazzling creatures have 13 segments and three sets of legs. They have tiny eyes, but they make their way around mostly by feeling around and touching.
Once the woolly worm has found its home for the winter, it will create a natural organic antifreeze that protects the interior of its cells. Everything else will freeze, but the woolly worm will still survive. The antifreeze protects the creature in freezing temperatures that can dip as low as –90 degrees Fahrenheit. The wooly worm is also protected by shelter. It chooses its places to hide wisely. It crawls under logs, boulders, boards, rocks, and other dark places. The woolly worm will remain in its “frozen” state until May, when it will emerge as a brilliantly colored moth.

Prior to settling in for the winter, the woolly worm will survive by eating a variety of plants such as cabbage, spinach, grass, and clover. And to protect itself from predators, the woolly worm will curl up into a ball, exposing only its bristles, which can be quite irritating to the skin.

Also called the “woolly bear,” mostly in New England and the Midwestern United States, the woolly worm has a pretty good weather prediction rate. Scientists would prefer not to acknowledge it, but the woolly worm has a 80-85% accuracy rate for predicting the weather. The worm has held its record for accuracy for more than 20 years.

If you want to see the woolly worm in action, don’t seek them out at night. Remember, worms are nocturnal for the most part, not caterpillars. The woolly worm is very active during the day. It is not uncommon to spot them in groups of hundreds, all of them with one common goal – to find a place to hide.

While the banded woolly bear does not use its bristles for protection, it has another defense mechanism. If handled or threatened in any way, the banded woolly bear will simply play dead. You may think the woolly bear is asleep or dead, but its not. It’s just protecting itself from what it perceives as a threat. No matter what you do to “wake up� a banded woolly bear that is trying to protect itself, persisting will only make it try even harder to protect itself. It’s best to leave it alone and let nature take its course, meaning do not disturb the banded woolly bear while it is hibernating. It has to go through its natural stages to survive!

After the Isabella tiger moth lays its eggs, the banded woolly bear emerges in the fall. It remains in the caterpillar form during the winter. It produces a substance called “cryoprotectant� which protects it from the cold during the freezing winter months. As soon as the weather begins to warm up, the banded woolly bear emerges from its hibernation and immediately begins to feed. It typically feeds on any and all weeds or grass in its path. Once it has reached its fill, the woolly bear enters the non-feeding stage of its lifecycle called “pupate.� After it pupates, the banded woolly bear transforms into its adult form – the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrhartica isabella). This usually happens in the late spring/early summer. The Isabella tiger moth lives through the summer, then the process repeats itself at the in the fall.

The Isabella tiger moth is equally as brilliant in color and appearance. It is yellow to orange in color and its wings are decorated with little black dots. The Isabella tiger moth also retains some of its “fur.� It has a furry thorax and a tiny head. The moth’s first pair of legs is a brilliant reddish-orange color.

It is believed that the amount of black on the banded woolly bears body predicts how severe the upcoming winter will be. This is, of course, common folklore as there is no scientific evidence to prove this. The eggs may vary in color from red to black, and once the eggs hatch to reveal the larva, the black bands may actually decrease in size as the larva grows.

In some states, the banded woolly bear is much like the groundhog. In the towns of Banner Elk, North Carolina; Beattyville Kentucky; and Vermilion, Ohio, banded woolly bear festivals are wildly popular.

The Woolly Worm Festival is a standard favorite in the world of weather forecasting. The annual event revolves around the black and brown “banded” woolly worm. Apparently, it’s very simple to make predictions based on this popular worm’s physical appearance. Bolder black bands mean cold; wider brown striping indicates milder weather. If the woolly worm has spiky protrusions, watch for ice. If it’s woollier than normal; better bundle up.

What about the presence of white woolly worms? They, too, seem to have magical powers in weather predictions. Perhaps with an edge over their more popular “cousins” that can merely forecast temperature ranges. While they may be rare in some regions, if they’re spotted, that’s a strong indicator of heavier than average snows for the season. Pair these sightings with all-black woolly bear caterpillars and you may be in for a long, cold spell surrounded by deep snow.

While the woolly bear worms may be the best known and loved of all arthropod predictors, others certainly have their place in folklore.

Ants – Higher and larger mounds mean a colder than normal winter. If they’re rushing back and forth in straight lines, rain is coming. When they go in search of food in random patterns, the weather will be good.

Bees – Nests that are built higher than usual means cold weather is ahead. They also cluster around the hive when stormy weather is approaching.

Crickets – If you need to know the temperature on the spot, count the number of chirps in a 14-second time span, add 40 to that number and you’ll be within one degree. In fact, many insects tend to be more active when it’s warmer, including the sounds they make.

Flies – If they land and bite, a rain is imminent.

Katydids – When they begin their chirping chorus, you can expect the first hard frost in 90 days.

Spiders – Seeing more of them in the fall? That means abnormally cold temperatures for the upcoming winter months.

Spider webs – If they’re flying in the wind, there will be no rain. Some swear by the fact that if a spider puts up a web, the upcoming weather will be fine. If the spider removes it, a storm is on its way.

Termites – They, too, will build taller mounds when facing unseasonable weather.

Of course, many of these tales are debunked by scientific studies. Even our favorite woolly bears may display their bands based on the region in which they live. Some say that those residing in drier climates consistently have wider orange-brown bands while those in more humid environments boast blacker bodies. In general, caterpillars in the larval stage may be darker if they live in colder, damp habitats.

As far as spiders and their nest-building habits go, experts insist these arachnids go about their web-construction business regardless of the weather. However, many creatures, including worms and caterpillars may exhibit odd behavior when the barometric pressure is low. With a storm approaching, they often become more active and go in a frenzied search for shelter.

In a final analysis, the woolly bear worm and many other types of nature’s weather predictors may be just as accurate as any official forecasts.

Although they may have first been identified in the state of Virginia, white woolly worms can be found in many parts of the U.S. As a tiger moth species, they’re members of the Arctiidae family. Perhaps the best-recognized larva in this group is the banded woolly bear, which as an adult is known as the Isabella tiger moth.

The Virginia tiger moth caterpillar is usually yellow. However, during an early phase or sometimes as an aberration, the woolly bear worms are white. If they’re very young, they’ll eventually turn yellow and then orange before beginning the pupation stage.

Adult Virginia tiger moths are quite beautiful. Tiger moths first received their name from the displays of striking colors and patterns that often rival butterflies. Virginia tiger moths sport a crown of white fuzz and snowy wings with random, small black spots. Their bodies may also feature repeating geometric styled dots along the sides. Look at them from underneath and you may see shades of orange around the head area.

As white woolly worms, they behave like other caterpillar species. In other words, they’ll eat everything in sight before weaving a cocoon. Newly hatched, they’ll group together while they feed. As they develop, though, they’ll become more solitary, which makes them difficult to spot.

This moth species may be present through three life cycles annually. Some will overwinter in the caterpillar stage, tucking away under leaves and logs. In the spring, they continue growing before weaving a cocoon in preparation for adulthood. As adults, they tend to rest with wings raised to a point, referred to as “tenting.” Most moths, on the other hand, will spread their wings.

Woolly worms eat weeds, which makes them less of a threat to plant lovers in some areas. Those that do appear on other vegetation are called “general feeders.” White woolly bear worms may also feed on vegetables and clover along with a host of aquatic plants. Rarely, you may spot them munching on the leaves of fruit trees. Even when they overpopulate, they do little damage.

White woolly worms are most common, in the fall. In fact, they’re the only “hairy” caterpillars active in autumn. If you try to pick one up, it will curl into a ball. Handle it at all, and its bristly white hairs will begin to fall off.

When the white woolly worms emerge as adult moths, they fly at night, which is common among many species.