woolly bear
noun
: any of various rather large very hairy moth caterpillars
especially
: one of a tiger moth
Examples of woolly bear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
How did woolly bears gain their reputation for winter predictions?
—
Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
National Weather Service debunks woolly bear forecasting abilities Of course, the National Weather Service has come along to pooh-pooh the woolly bear's winter foresight, with its science and facts.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
But the groundhog is just one of numerous animals that, according to folklore, possess an uncanny ability to forecast the weather, including cows that are said to lie down before early rain and woolly bear caterpillars that are supposedly decorated with less color before a frigid winter.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
Leave a comment View Comments The woolly bear — a species of caterpillar, also called the woolly worm — famously is thought to forecast the severity of the impending winter with its colored bands.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
Himmelman says that woolly bears (those fuzzy black and brown caterpillars) and other tiger moth caterpillars spend winter in leaf debris.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
A few years ago, Michael Singer found that woolly bear caterpillars will actively eat toxic plants if they are infected by parasitic wasps.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2012
The woolly bear caterpillar, like its name, is covered in a spiky looking fuzz.
—Kate Furby, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2023
This legend has gained so much notoriety that some Midwestern towns host annual woolly bear festivals.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
National Weather Service debunks woolly bear forecasting abilities Of course, the National Weather Service has come along to pooh-pooh the woolly bear's winter foresight, with its science and facts.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
But the groundhog is just one of numerous animals that, according to folklore, possess an uncanny ability to forecast the weather, including cows that are said to lie down before early rain and woolly bear caterpillars that are supposedly decorated with less color before a frigid winter.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
Leave a comment View Comments The woolly bear — a species of caterpillar, also called the woolly worm — famously is thought to forecast the severity of the impending winter with its colored bands.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
Himmelman says that woolly bears (those fuzzy black and brown caterpillars) and other tiger moth caterpillars spend winter in leaf debris.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
A few years ago, Michael Singer found that woolly bear caterpillars will actively eat toxic plants if they are infected by parasitic wasps.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2012
The woolly bear caterpillar, like its name, is covered in a spiky looking fuzz.
—Kate Furby, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2023
This legend has gained so much notoriety that some Midwestern towns host annual woolly bear festivals.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Woolly bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woolly%20bear. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share