Day 15: Pyrrharctia isabella's stripes do not foretell the weather, old wives' tales notwithstanding. It is a delightful myth, and one which for countless years has given folks something to talk about over the cracker barrel. In truth, the Woolly Bear's bands are a matter of genetics, and any one individual's markings will vary in size over the course of its lifetime, the orange band progressing in width toward each end as the caterpillar matures.
Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, the folklore persists. In searching for my photographic specimen, I found bands of all widths which just goes to prove that no one can predict the weather unfailingly. It's all a guessing game, whether you're a meteorologist working on a long-term outlook or a little caterpillar searching for seasonal lodgings.
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