Since September 1,it has been meteorological autumn.Seasonal change is becoming evident before the autumnal equinox,which occurs on September 22 this year.The Mid-Atlantic region has felt its first truly cool mornings,with lows in the 40sF in some places.
This morning,a woolly bear caterpillar was noted inching across a highway off-ramp,safely making it to the other side at a quiet time of day.The bristly creature's emergence is one of the quintessential marks of autumn nationwide and in Southern Canada.It is black on the ends with an orange central band.Children pick them up and stroke them.
The caterpillars feed on asters;clover;sunflowers;and other plants.
Over the winter months,the woolly bears will shelter among rocks,in logs and under bark.In the spring,they will spin silk for their cocoons,which they also adorn with their own hairs.They will emerge as Isabella tiger moths(Pyrrharctica isabella).
There is no scientific evidence for the folkloric notion that the severity of winter may be predicted by observing the relative length of the woolly bear's color bands.
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