Friday, October 4, 2013

Wooly Worms

When I was a kid, the fuzzy caterpillars that appeared every autumn
had only one name: wooly worms.
We would let them crawl onto our hands 
so we could caress their fuzzy softness with our fingertips.

Today I found one in my garage.
He was very dark chocolate color.
I noticed him making his way 
along the boundary between the dry wall and the masonry foundation,
but I didn't stay with him very long.
When I went back for a closer look, he was gone.

Photo credit: www.cecilwhig.com

I understand that "wooly worms" are the larval stage for certain moths.
And some say that a thin black band 
around the caterpillar means the winter will be mild.
The one I saw wasn't banded at all,
so I hoped it meant no winter. 
That would be great.
But it seems that the opposite is true:  
no bands mean bitter cold, very bitter.
So I guess that means 
the wooly worm I saw wasn't really dark chocolate,
he was bitter chocolate.
;-)
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