They came from outer space!

January 14, 2008 4:50 PM

Why is my snow covered yard crawling with caterpillars?

This morning while shoveling out from last night's nor'easter here in Western Massachusetts I noticed quite a few caterpillars crawling lethargically over the freshly fallen snow. A quizzing of the internet produced few explanations. This childrens' book from 1895 captures the feeling. And a fellow in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has recently posted pictures and video of the same phenomenon in his neighborhood (scroll down past the satellite dish cleaning tool). Could the recent warm weather have brought them? If so, how did they get on top of the snow, looking like they were dropped there from a little caterpillar spaceship?

posted by donmateo to science & nature (5 comments total)

If so, how did they get on top of the snow, looking like they were dropped there from a little caterpillar spaceship?

The types of caterpillars we get around here, at least, come from caterpillar nests in trees. If that's the case for yours too, then they would have dropped out of the trees.
posted by winston at 5:37 PM on January 14, 2008

Get in touch with some universities near where you live and see if they have an entomologist on staff. Capture one of the little buggers and give them a good description. They may be able to help you out. A lot of organisms have weird times of doing thing to avoid competition of varying kinds.
posted by ZaneJ. at 6:44 PM on January 14, 2008

I would guess that the fake spring we just had in the NE caused a lot of things to happen prematurely that will kill them. Flower bulbs are popping, insects are hatching, blah blah blah. I mean, we had 65 degrees a week ago and 10 degrees today. Fun!
posted by TomMelee at 7:08 PM on January 14, 2008

Something strange is happening in the insect world, specifically with the behavior of bees and butterflies - the larvae of which are wreaking havoc right now around the world. This is in conjunction with the erratic weather patterns being experienced -

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/76104/Families-flee-as-caterpillars-attack-houses-in-Davao
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080111-111812/Caterpillars-invade-Davao-residential-area
http://www.trurodaily.com/index.cfm?sid=96884&sc=68
posted by watercarrier at 4:00 AM on January 15, 2008

Something strange is happening in the insect world, specifically with the behavior of bees and butterflies - the larvae of which are wreaking havoc right now around the world. This is in conjunction with the erratic weather patterns being experienced -

Good thing my tinfoil hat is made out of tin — the bugs can't eat it!
posted by humannaire at 6:28 AM on January 15, 2008