The Woolly Bear Project
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I've always been fond of woolly bear caterpillars. They mark the summer's turn toward autumn. Whenever I see one I stop and say hi. I learned a lot about them during the few weeks they were in my care. I learned:
Before I freed them I warmed them up and carried them to their preferred environment. I sat in the damp moss and thanked them for their hard work. Each moved in a straight line away from me in all directions. I watched them trundle off like little buses into the real world until they were gone. I felt like a mother seeing her offspring off forever. "Good luck" I called. "Write when you find work." I look forward to seeing them again next summer. By then I won't recognize them, but each Isabella tiger moth I see will leave me wondering, "Are you one I exploited?"
I've always been fond of woolly bear caterpillars. They mark the summer's turn toward autumn. Whenever I see one I stop and say hi. I learned a lot about them during the few weeks they were in my care. I learned:
- 107.5 woolly bears equal 1 2/3 cups. (it was a shame about the .5)
- 107.5 woolly bears can denude 3 fronds of bracken fern and several branches of huckleberry leaves in 12 hours.
- If they are too cold they stay curled in balls and refuse to perform. If you warm them up by the wood stove they become very active. Too active. If they are about 10 degrees Celsius they are just right.
- In autumn they eat like crazy, then hibernate under logs and in moss and leaf litter until spring when they emerge from hibernation and chow down at the salad bar. Then they form cocoons and a few weeks later voila, they are Isabella tiger moths.
- Woolly bear poop doesn't stink. It looks exactly like peppercorns.
- They need their terrarium cleaned every two days. They like lots of moss, lots to eat, and protection from the sun.
- When you drop them they bounce.
- Although legend has it the width of the orange stripe around their middles predicts the weather of the coming winter, they don't all agree.
- They don't smile for the camera.
- They are fast and don't take direction well.
- When you get frustrated and want to strangle one you will not be able to find its neck.
- They are focused. There is not attention deficit disorder in their woolly world.
- If you get one in your eye it stings.
- I don't think they taught me anything about myself except that no matter how old I get I will always be a small child.
Before I freed them I warmed them up and carried them to their preferred environment. I sat in the damp moss and thanked them for their hard work. Each moved in a straight line away from me in all directions. I watched them trundle off like little buses into the real world until they were gone. I felt like a mother seeing her offspring off forever. "Good luck" I called. "Write when you find work." I look forward to seeing them again next summer. By then I won't recognize them, but each Isabella tiger moth I see will leave me wondering, "Are you one I exploited?"