Very hairy caterpillars known as woolly bears make their appearance in late summer and autumn. Their name comes from their hairy appearance, their wandering habits and the fact that they feed on a variety of plants--similar to bears. The caterpillars rarely cause concern because the damage they do occurs so late in the growing season. The most common species in Colorado are the yellow woolly bear and saltmarsh caterpillar. The banded woolly bear is the less common of the two but the best known. Folklore says that the wider the bands are on these caterpillars, the more severe the upcoming winter will be. Little, if any evidence indicates there's a connection between band width and future weather. For additional information see the PlantTalk script, Woolly Bear Caterpillars.
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