I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this catapillar larvae in my yard alive in January. I brought it in the house and am hoping it will spin a cocoon and hybernate till spring. It didn't want to cooperate but stay curled up in a ball, but it is black at both ends and copper colored in the center. Any ideas if it is a butterfly or a moth? Thanks.
Cindy
I don't know what kind of caterpillar this is but I once saw one crawling on a snow bank in very early spring in Montreal. The least I can say is: unusual to see caterpilars on snow.
Sylvain.
Cindy, it's probably a Woolly Bear cat which becomes a Isabella Tiger Moth. It's know for rolling into a ball when touched. Legend says the length of the bands foretell the severity of the winter, but it's relative to previous years. I think they spend the winter as a cat and then pupate in the spring. Maybe that hair is like a coat lol.
Very interesting. Thanks both of you for the info. I have heard of the Woolly Bear but have never seen one before. Neither have I ever seen one at this time of the year. I wonder if they eat anything all winter or if they just go into some sort of slow mode?
Just an update. I did a google search for the Woolly Bear and that is exactly what it is. There was an interesting article about them. You can actually keep them in your refridgerator crisper all winter and let them hibernate and then release them in the spring when there is enough foliage for them to eat.
