At the Platte Prairies, and – I assume – throughout most of the central United States, this is the time of year we see woolly bear caterpillars crawling all over. They are one of the most widely-recognized caterpillars around, though most people don’t give a second glance to the tiger moth they become as adults.
A tiger moth larva (woolly bear caterpillar) photographed on October 4, 2013. The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies, Nebraska.
This time of year, woolly bears are often seen crossing roads or sidewalks, trying to find a place to spend the winter. Like many other insects, they will freeze solid over the winter, only to thaw out and resume their lives in the spring.
The Prairie Ecologist 