So, why did the Wooly Bear cross the road? Was it: A) To get to the other side?  B) To prove to the raccoons that it could be done?  C) Because he was in a fowl mood?  D) To get from hair to there?  

  There are a million potential joke answers to this riddle, but only a few serious ones.  Although I like “D” the best, the best possible answers are not listed as choices.  “To get to the safe side” and “16” are more succinct answers.

  This time of year you’ll notice the fuzzy caterpillars of the Tiger Moth clan crossing our roads by the thousands.  Many of them are the black, brown, black type commonly known as Wooly Bears – actually larvae of the Isabella Tiger Moth.  Others in this group include the overly furry Yellow Bear, which is the larva of the Virginia Tiger Moth.   All caterpillars in the collective group known as Tiger Moths are covered with hairy bumps, or tubercles. The hair covering is stiff and bristly and serves for protection.  Some of these hairs break off and produce an irritating itch when the owner is roughly handled. Tiger moths primarily use these hairs to their best advantage when they roll into a defensive ball upon being picked up (take a look see). When in such a circular pose they are nearly impossible to grasp and impossible for predators to eat. This does not protect them from passing cars, however.

  All of this may be so, but the initial question remains as to why these things cross the road and why now.  Here’s a shot of a lightly colored Wooly Bear in the midst of his dangerous trek across the asphalt. He represents a typical example of a road crosser in that he is nearly full grown and thinking about ending it all – not his life, but his life as a caterpillar. Tiger moths overwinter as full grown larvae.  They hibernate under a log or in the leaf litter. Upon emerging in the spring they enjoy a few more bites of plantain then spin a cocoon in order to transform into a moth.  So, the itchy teenage caterpillars start to get the wanderlust in early fall and actively seeking out hibernation spots.  The roads are simply in the way and the plantain is always greener on the other side. While still in the early growth stages during the summer, these larvae stay put and don’t do much wandering.

  So, getting to the hibernation side is getting to the “safe side” and thus the reasoning behind correct answer number one.  The second response – “16” – is the literal, but unhelpful, answer to our riddle. These caterpillars have 16 legs, you see.  They are able to cross the road because they can co-ordinate these multiple appendages and achieve a rather rapid and rolling gait.  Secure in the knowledge that they are inedible, they can afford to take the chance and sprint over the wide exposed expanse offered by the road surface.  I guess you could say they cross the road simply because they can.