Tale of Tails
Posted by Shanon on December 9, 2002
Q: my students found a woolly bear caterpillar inside the classroom crawling around. it's the 1st week of Dec. I thought it should be hibernating right now.? They would love to keep and rear the caterpillar into a moth. Is this possible for us to do? If so what should we do? and what should we feed it until it decides to hibernate. Thanks, Shanon
A: The woolly bear your students found will probably pupate in the spring and it would be great if you could keep track of it until then. Woolly bears reportedly eat a variety of plants including asters, birches, clover, corn, elms, maples, and sunflowers. Clover, at least, could be gathered fresh enough even beneath the snow, so I would try that. To encourage the caterpillar to "hibernate" over winter I suggest you put it in a dark, cool place protected from the weather, such as an unheated basement. Whether you attempt to feed the woolly bear through the winter or encourage it to "hibernate," it should be a good opportunity for your students to learn about these common and interesting animals.
Mark Baldwin ( December 9, 2002)