It freaks them out and they’ll do anything to get rid of them or keep them out of the garden.

They’re also relatively safe for your plants, but some people can’t stand some crawling caterpillars on their edibles. They’re a fuzzy, hairy, black, and orange caterpillars that eventually turns into an adult moth (isabella moth).Īlthough they have a striking appearance that screams danger, they’re not poisonous and can’t inject any venom. They’re supposedly able to predict the harshness of the winter by the band colors, lengths, and positions. My soulful twin, Bill, had an affinity for turtles.Woolly bear caterpillars (woolly worms or woolly bears) are known for their ability to predict the conditions of winter. He quickly roused and raced to the water finding shelter under a heart-shaped stone. I carried him to the brook running beneath the road. The little guy was sluggish, perhaps dehydrated. Recently I came across a baby snapping turtle. I’ve helped more than the furry cross the road, though. They say worms take advantage of wetness, which allows them to move far more quickly than through the soil. Partly because so many slithery critters seemed daunting, but mostly because of the slime factor versus cute and fuzzy. I feel bad not helping the furry fellas, though.Ī few weeks ago, dozens of worms took to the road during a rainy spell. ( Here’s a link to a previous column on the subject).

The thing is, they can cause a nasty rash that may require medical attention. They are adorable, with longish spikes of fur jutting beyond their white coat, fashioning a row of black spots. I’ve come across other critters roadside, such as the white fuzzy Hickory Tussock caterpillars ( Lophocampa caryae) that I didn’t help cross the road. Admittedly there’s a contradiction about my kindness in helping woolly bears.

Download white wooly caterpillar