DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’ve seen a number of woolly caterpillars lately. I’ve heard that the amount of snowfall for the winter can be predicted by how wide the brown band is on these critters. Does anyone know more about this folklore? — No Name via email

ANSWER: Sun Spots has also heard that piece of weather lore, and she found several references to it online. At www.farmersalmanac.com is a list of 20 signs of a hard winter, including “Narrow orange band in the middle of the Woollybear caterpillar warns of heavy snow; fat and fuzzy caterpillars presage bitter cold.”

At almanac.com (the home of the Old Farmer’s Alamanac) the history of this folklore is recounted along with details of a study done on the subject by Dr. C. H. Curran, curator of insects at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, in Bear Mountain State Park in New York state.

Between 1948 and 1956, Dr. Curran’s count showed that the brown bands took up more than a third of the woolly bear’s body and those winters were milder than average. Scientists say Curran’s data samples were too small to be scientifically legitimate, but his endeavors helped spread the woolly bear lore.

There are more interesting stories about woolly bears at almanac.com, but the site is very strict about reproduction of its content, so Sun Spots cannot share it with her readers. You can check it out at http://tinyurl.com/7vyqp5y.

Sun Spots cannot say whether woolly bears predict the severity of winter — Wikipedia says no, that the bands change as the larva grows, and other scientists have been unable to replicate Curran’s results. But who knows? Many animals are amazingly prescient about coming weather, at least when it’s imminent, so maybe bugs are as well.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: My husband and I are building a house on a nonexistent budget (no dough). We had just purchased a fiberglass tub and a shower unit. The tub fell over into the back of the shower unit and put a huge hole in the shower. Is there anyone out there who repairs fiberglass tubs? — Cindy Lee Thurston, Waterford, days 782-4022, nights 583-2102

ANSWER: The Bathtub Man (753-1212) is listed in the yellow pages as doing fiberglass repair. There may be others of whom Sun Spots is unaware. She hopes they will write to the column.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Can you help me locate the lady who sold mittens from old sweaters at the Central Maine Medical Center holiday fair on Friday, Nov 18? I want to purchase more. — Kathleen Cyr, Lewiston

ANSWER: Sun Spots feels sure that readers will be able to help you find those mittens.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I read your column every day. I am looking for a person who I worked with in the early 1980s at Marshwood Health Care Facility in Lewiston. Her name at that time was Gretchen Robards. She got married, then I lost track of her. Nothing important, but I would like to get an address and her married name so I can call her. Thank you for all the help you provide the community. — Bruce Wotton, bruceomega@hotmail.com

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Nov. 21 letter about recycling packing peanuts prompted me to pass on a trick my mother came up with when sending care packages of cookies, etc.

She had a package ready to go and found out she was out of peanuts. Solution? Popcorn. Plain, unbuttered Popcorn. It worked great and we were able to eat the packing material. Even stale popcorn tastes good if it’s from home. — Mac McK, itistolaff@peoplepc.com

OOPS: In the letter that ran Thursday offering plastic canvas books, Sun Spots only provided email. Barbara wanted her phone number included as well. It’s 312-9399.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

Copy the Story Link