Posted on 11/12/2021 6:20:56 PM PST by Jamestown1630
My husband saw today what he swears was a ‘woolly bear’ caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) – but it had no brown band, it was all black.
I suggested to him that it might be another species that looks similar, but he was adamant – he grew up in rural Central Pennsylvania, and this time of year they saw them all over the place, and he denies that its spines were anything like those of the Giant Leopard or any other one around these parts that we could find pictured.
The legend is that the width of the brown bar on the Woolly Bear indicates what the coming Winter will be like – the more narrow it is, the more harsh the Winter. But there are indications that the original research suggesting this was flawed, and that the differences in the width of the brown bar could have to do with how many times the critter has molted.
But none of that explains an entirely black one in Maryland.
The Hagerstown Town and Country Amanack used to have a ‘Woolly Bear’ contest every year, but they ceased it about six years ago. However, their prognosicator is predicting a particularly harsh Winter for most of Maryland.
Does anyone know what species this all-black caterpillar may have been? It was seen just a few miles Northeast of DC, in Maryland. I’ve never seen one that didn’t have at least some width of brown in the middle of the back.
This is a fun guy/channel for Nature stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da1CQs1AK4Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbGNToDnkiNxCDOAxud03mQ
(I chose 'poetry' as one of the topics, because I was struck by this statement on the 'topics' list: "Poetry is important. No less than science, it seeks a hold upon reality, and the closeness of its approach is the test of its success." Babette Deutsch (1895–1982), U.S. poet.
They are common here. I know how to identify and stay away from venomous critters because I’m an outdoors kind of dude, but this was a bad luck chance encounter while metal detecting in a grove of quince trees. Fun experience though, but that venom is certainly nasty.
I just looked her up. Yeah, that’s really dark skin and very beautiful. The Indian “caucasians” mentioned up there, and some Australia aborigines have skin that dark too. It’s really interesting to study human evolution.
I do like about 19 min mark he says “It will make you harder than a “Methodist Preachers Pecker”.
The man was really hated by the USG.
Course not. If you weren’t a bootlegger you were a customer. My grandpa used to have friends over on Saturday night to listen to the Grand Ole Oprey. They’d have a few snorts and after the show get out their instruments for a little “git down”. Of course this required more snorts as they would work up quiet a thirst. My gran would only tolerate so much. At 11:00 she’d enter the living room, confiscate the jars and tell everyone, “An hour to the Lord’s day an I better see every one of you in church tomorrow.” My gran was a red-headed half Cherokee and when she spoke everybody listened. She’d then pour all the confiscated shine down the kitchen sink. Granpa’s friends knew it was time to be headed up and down the holler making their way home. This was a Saturday night ritual.
Back atcha!!!!!
That is a good story.
I get to work that region from time to time.
It’s all about making hard work look easy. It drives modern people nuts.
and do not forget to thank the Lord Jesus for the life you have.
When we moved here, one of the guys at church gave us the 411 on the woolly caterpillars and what their colors/stripes mean. People pay attention.
I understand you have moved near to the region lately.
It is a vast area that covers the range of mountains.
I hope you have enjoyed your decision. It is a beautiful area.
Yes. We moved to Roane County in 2010, then Loudoun County in 2016. It’s beauty is one thing that drew us here. It’s so similar to rural western NY where I grew up, but without the taxes.
I’ve heard of the high “spider web” one too. Also means deep snow.
LOL! Great story. My grandmother would be the same - her mother used to drag her to WCTU meetings...
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