Weather-prediction
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Pyrrharctia isabella
Isabella tiger moth, banded woolly bear, woolly bear, woolly worm
Pyrrharctia isabella is a tiger moth species native to North America, best known for its larval form, the banded woolly bear caterpillar. The caterpillar is recognized by its alternating black and orange-brown bands and has become famous in North American folklore as a supposed predictor of winter weather severity. The species exhibits remarkable freeze tolerance, allowing larvae to survive winter temperatures by producing cryoprotectants that prevent lethal ice crystal formation. Adults are dull yellowish to orangish moths with sparse black wing spotting and bright reddish-orange forelegs.