For the last couple of weeks I’ve seen at least 30 banded woollybears (Pyrrharctia isabella) crossing the country roads every time I’ve been out on my lunch time walks. One of my colleagues has taken to rescuing these cute little caterpillars and moves them from the middle of the road to the safety of the shoulder. They curl up in …
Caterpillars
Return of the Tent Caterpillar
I was out supervising the neighbourhood kids bicycling in the back alley when I noticed a very interesting caterpillar on the leaf of a lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) in our rather wild roadside flower bed. Several of the kids took a break and had a closer look at this striking caterpillar and one mentioned that he had seen several similar …
Why Did the Yellow Bear Cross the Road?
It’s the time of year when things are on the move and if you’re looking at the ground or the sky you’re sure to see something interesting. Some types of caterpillars in the tiger moth family (Arctiidae) like the woolly bears and yellow bears are active in the fall as they move from food plants to a suitable place to …