Page 12 The Shoreline January 2006 “Woolly Worm” continuing fair and easterly winds How many of you remember hearing the was held on Saturday October 15"’ so you’re calculate the first killing frost based on the usually indicate arriving or unsettled weather, old adage “Red at night is the sailors too late to enter your worm for this year. The fact that it will come precisely 90 days after cows may well be a good indicator of what the delight. Red sky in the morning is a sailors winning worm, Niko, besides earning $ 1,000 the first katydids begin to sing, it might be weather will be for the next little while. warning?” Spending many a summer on a for first place has predicted the following one to remember for next year. I found a multitude of these same types of sailboat in Narraganset bay, we came to rely winter forecast. It isn’t just insects that are tied to our weather relating to by on this old . Is it true or is it an old Week 1: Cold and snowy predictions. Take for instance Punxsutawney talking to gardeners right here in our own wives tale? Weather lore concerning the Week 2: Cold and snowy Phil( the official ) how many of appearance of the sky, the conditions of the Week 3: Cold and snowy us watch to see if he will see his shadow and community. It’s funny what folks will base their weather predictions on, squirrels with atmosphere, the type or movement of the Week 4: Cold and snowy predict 40 more days of winter. The roots of bushier tails, heavier than average nut falls. and the direction of the winds may Week 5: Severe cold and Light Snow go all the way back to the 6“' My favorite would have to be the southern have a scientific basis and likely can be used Week 6-11: Normal cold, no snow century. It began with the German that, to predict the weather, however, there are a Weeks 12-13: Cold and light snow. by simply showing up, hibernating animals of splitting open a persimmon seed. Friend and co-worker, Rett Davis sent out lot of other old wives tales out there used to Although, the “wooly worm” is the most were able to predict when springtime came. the following photo and his commentary. predict the weather. frequently recognized meteorologist in the Let’s not forget those pesky squirrels. For Basically he went on to say that this year My daughter, the one who is interested insect kingdom there are many other folklore years I have heard that when squirrels lay in a the embryo inside the persimmon seed in all living things, came home the other about insects and weather. In Kentucky, it’s big store of nuts, look for a hard winter. One represents a spoon which means we will be day with a woolly worm. She said she had said that “When the gnats swarm, rain and can also watch those same squirrels to see how shoveling snow. If the image was that of heard you can tell what the winter is going warmer weather are believed to be coming.” deep they bury their nuts. The deeper they a table knife it would be a warmer winter. to be by reading their bands and asked if I I also liked this one I came across, “When bury them the lower the lowest knew how to do it. Unfortunately I don’t, spider web in air do fly, the spell will soon will be for the upcoming winter. While some of this weather lore may have a sound scientific basis others are just that, a but with the internet at our finger tips we be very dry.” Another was in regards to Fellow ag agents shared this next one with found the answer. For the last twenty-three butterflies: any butterfly flying in one’s face me. “A cow with its tail to the West makes little bit of folklore. Persimmon seed reading has about a 50% accuracy rate. And annual years Banner Elk in Avery County, North is a sign of immediate cold weather to come: the weather the best. A cow with its tail to records show that the groundhog is correct Carolina has been holding a woolly worm others specify that a yellow butterfly in one’s the east makes the weather least.” I guess it only about half the time as well. If one was festival. Worms are entered into a race and face indicates sufficient frost within ten days makes sense since cows, like people prefer the winning worm is carefully examined and to turn the leaves the color of the butterfly. not to have the wind blowing in their faces, to make a weather prediction based on the folklore for this winter, buy an extra blanket his colors interpreted to provide the winter Can you tell the temperature by counting the and so typically stand with their backs to the weather forecast. Unfortunately the event crickets’ chirps? While we are too late to wind. Since westerly winds mean arriving or or two as it looks cold and snowy.

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