It's mostly fiction and folklore that led New England and Midwestern folks to believe a particular caterpillar could predict the coming winter weather.
Entrenched in the region since colonial times and then spurred on again by a 1950s newspaper article, the woolly bear, also called the woolly worm, has been touted as a snow-level soothsayer.
In reality, the wooly bear is just the larval stage of the Isabella tiger moth with no prediction powers, except perhaps the ability to show more about past conditions than future ones. It's coloring and size can indicate what food was available as it grew, which can reveal what weather conditions were, too.
The folklore says that the size of the middle band of rust coloring on the caterpillar's back can show if a mild or cold winter lay ahead. Some even believe if the band is oriented more towards the head, that means that the beginning of the winter is going to be mild. If it's oriented more towards the tail, that means the end of the winter is going to be mild.
In reality, the tiger moth lays its eggs in spring and the first crop of wooly bear caterpillars appears in spring and summer. Then, the next lifecycle produces a second crop of caterpillars in September and October. (Those are the ones purpoted to be furry crystal balls, with the power to predict the severity of the winter).
Q: True or false: I've always heard and read that coffee grounds were great as instant compost. - Diane, in Rutland
A: Coffee grounds are good as a compost or compost amendment, but they're not a solo rock star in the garden.
By putting them down on the soil, you're not going to get a lot of nitrogen or pH-altering by just the coffee grounds alone.
Instead, add the grounds to compost along with other kitchen waste, and then use that compost around blueberries bushes or around your roses.
Q: Pokeweed is very toxic. It is edible if it's cooked properly, and it is a traditional food for some, but anyone who eats raw pokeweed in a salad will get very sick. - Rebecca, via email
A: Raw pokeweed leaves and roots are indeed toxic to eat raw. For those who consume it, to make the greens edible, they need to be boiled three times, dumping out the boiled water and then re-boiling in new water to get the toxins out.
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