I have also learned the color of that fuzz is very important! Brown/reddish colors signal a milder winter where the black fuzz signals a colder winter. From what I understand, the fuzzier they are coincides with some bitterly cold air expected for winter (think fuzzy, warm coats to keep you warm with the cold air in place). Since then I’ve kept track of their “predictions,” and I must say these little worms have a pretty good track record. Oh, the wooly worm! I was introduced to these fuzzy little creatures shortly after moving to Kansas City in 2007. While I do certainly look at several meteorological websites, air and sea temperatures and overall weather patterns, I always find myself looking at two other pretty accurate “sources.” What I like most about these two sources are that they come from you, the viewer, and they are 100 percent local! One is the persimmon seed, the other is the wooly worm! With the reminder that snow, ice and bitterly cold air isn’t too far away, I start getting asked what my thoughts are on the upcoming winter. It’s that time of the year, fall is here and people are getting their first taste of cooler weather.

Note: Karli Ritter, FOX 4 meteorologist, originally posted this in September 2014, but it still applies today! Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated.

Download black willy worms