BANDED WOOLLY BEAR

This bottle- brush looking caterpillar will eventually become an Isabella Tiger Moth.  Instead of emerging as a moth in the fall, it remains a caterpillar through the winter.  The Woolly Bear freezes solid, but survives by producing a cryoprotectant to protect its tissues, then will emerge as a moth in the spring.  They typically do not cause irritation, inflammation or swelling.

Folk lore claims the width of the reddish brown band in the middle can predict the severity of the upcoming winter.  A wider brown band means a milder winter and a narrower band indicates a harsh winter.  Fact check:  Within the same group of hatchlings, there can be a wide variation in the width of their brown bands.