It is really hard to believe this year is flying by so fast. What a great summer and early fall we have had.

Of course, there are those who are predicting a very snowy and cold winter according to the "wooly worms". One of the T.V. weather persons unusually does just that every fall. She has people from all over central Illinois send her pictures of "wooly worms". It seems the worms have a rate of accuracy at about 80 percent.

The general rule of thumb when checking out the coat of the wooly worms is—the darker the coat, the colder the winter. When a worm has a band of light color at its head and tail but a thicker band in the middle it means a mild start and finish to winter, with the bulk of the winter to be cold. There seems to be fewer worms this year, just as there were last year. The results: 60 % were black-dark brown, 30% white, with only 10% tan or orange. Normally there have only been 5% of the wooly worms being white. So, as the folklore goes, this winter can be very cold and snowy.

I decided to dig a little deeper into this subject and came up with some interesting details about the "wooly worm". One article contends that because the caterpillar's coat changes over time, the only thing the black and brown bands tell us is how old the wooly worm is.

According to Jennifer Schultz Nelson, each fall it's hard not to notice little wooly worms crawling across roads, sidewalks, and paths everywhere. Wherever they are going, they seem very determined. Many people wonder what they actually are. Do they stay as they are or morph into something entirely different in time? And just how do they forecast the winter weather?

"Different species of wooly worms are found all over the world," Nelson said. "The ancient Romans used the Latin term catta pilosa, literally "hairy cat," to describe them. The term caterpillar traces back to these early descriptions." The creatures we call wooly worms are, in fact, caterpillars, so their time spent as a wooly worm is limited. The United States is home to at least eight species of the hairy caterpillars that are commonly called wooly worms."

In central Illinois, the most common is the banded wooly bear or worm, Pyrrharctia Isabella. Following the pupal stage, the banded wooly bear emerges in its adult form, the Isabella tiger moth. "Experts estimate around 260 species of tiger moths in North America," she said. "Their caterpillars share some degree of hairiness—from a few hairs to being completely covered in hairs, like the wooly worms." Each year brings two generations of banded wooly bears, or Isabella tiger moths. "Tiger moths get their name from their bright coloration. Their colors are typically some spotted or striped combination of gold and black. Some species also have red, white, and gray colors interspersed as well. This Isabella tiger moth is a dull yellow-orange with some black spotting, and its first pair of legs has bright red-orange segments."

One is typically hatched in May, the other in August. "Most people don't notice wooly worms in the spring and early summer, but they're around, feeding on various plants and growing," she said. "One reason we probably don't notice them is that essentially they're hermits, preferring solitude over socializing."

Another tiger moth larva, fall webworm, is far friendlier, and tends to congregate in large populations on their host plants." It is only in the autumn that most people notice wooly worms, and the worms are usually in a big hurry to get somewhere," said Nelson. "What's the rush? Each wooly worm is scrambling to find a warm nook or cranny in which to over winter." We will just have to wait and see if these little creatures can predict our winter or not.

GARDEN QUESTIONS FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Q) Can you give me some tips on getting a poinsettia plant to bloom this year? A) Special care must be given to your plant to insure repeat blooming. Poinsettias need at least 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness per night for ten weeks. Place the plant in a darkened room, box, closet or dark plastic bag every evening. Remove the plant during the day and continue with normal care. Flower buds and leaf colors should occur around Thanksgiving.

Q) We have an area of medium sized trees on our property. Is it possible to prune them in such a way as to cause them to grow taller? A) If the area is shady get rid of the least desirable one so there will be more sun for the remaining trees. Also, pruning off the lower branches as the tree grows will help the tree grow taller

Q) I have some wonderful sunflowers this year and I would like to save the seeds. How do I go about doing that? A) To keep the seeds for growing or even eating, you have to wait until they are mature. Birds will start lining up just before the petals fall, but the seeds won't mature until the bracts (the petal-like leaves surrounding the flower) turn brown, and the back of the heads turn lime-yellow. Depending on the size and thickness of the head, this may follow the petal's falling by three or four weeks. During this time, you can protect the seeds by covering the head with a paper bag. Cut the mature heads off, and hang them in a dry spot with good circulation. Upside down or right side up doesn't matter, but it takes at least two weeks for the seeds to dry. They are ready when they come out of the head with a gentle rub. My sunflowers were wonderful this year. I was lucky enough that several of them from last year re-seeded giving me a wonderful area of beautiful sunflowers.

Reminder

U of I Extension is hosting a teleconference on Tuesday, September 30 at 1 p.m. The topic is "Going Green with Evergreens" and will include information on evergreen trees and shrubs that will give your landscape year-round interest. If you would like to learn more about evergreen plants and expand your landscape using evergreens, call Coles County Extension at 345-7034 for cost details. Registration is needed by noon on the 29^th. This program is open to the public.

If you have any horticulture questions, call the U of I Extension office 345-7034. Volunteer

Master Gardeners are in the office on: Monday—2 to 4 p.m. and Wednesday—9-11 a.m.

This column is based on information and materials at the University of Illinois Extension office, located at 707 Windsor Road, Suite A., Charleston, 61920; phone 345-7034; or web site: www.extension.uiuc.edu/coles/