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Harnessed Moth
Apantesis phalerata
35.7454, -89.5298
Field Notes
Description:
The wingspan is 30–42 mm.
Habitat:
The larvae feed on Trifolium, Spartina, Taraxacum, and Plantago species, as well as other low-growing plants.
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Notes:
Folklore
Local folklore of the American Northeast holds that "woolly bears" have the ability to predict the weather, similar to that of the Groundhog. The forthcoming severity of a winter may be indicated by the amount of black on the Isabella tiger moth's caterpillar, the most familiar woolly bear in North America; more brown than black means a fair winter, but more black than brown means a harsh winter.[9] However, the relative width of the black band varies among instars, not according to weather.[10] The mythical qualities attributed to woolly bears in the American Northeast have led to such things as the Woollybear Festival.
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