There are many sayings in folklore about how to predict the upcoming winter based on phenological observations of persimmon seeds, the coats of animals, and when birds fly south. Observations of woolly bear caterpillars and their comparative amounts of brown and black stripes is one that I get asked about from time to time. Here is a great article describing where this prediction comes from and how accurate it is at Woolly Bear Caterpillar – Winter Predictor Or Not? (weather.gov)
