Weather-folklore
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Pyrrharctia
woolly bear moth
Pyrrharctia is a genus of tiger moths in the family Erebidae, described by Packard in 1864. The genus contains two described species found in North and Central America. The best-known species, Pyrrharctia isabella, produces the familiar banded woolly bear caterpillar, widely recognized for its black and orange banded appearance and cultural association with winter weather prediction. The genus is notable for the freeze-tolerance adaptations of its larvae, which overwinter as caterpillars using cryoprotectant compounds to survive subfreezing temperatures.