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We all are aware animals (and other species) can sense things humans can't (or don't want to), particularly regarding the weather, but I have no idea why groundhogs necessarily stole the show.
I have discovered today that birds go into a major feeding frenzy when a big winter storm is coming, but they fail to tell exactly how cold it's going to get.
The woolly bear is a fuzzy catepillar of the tiger moth found in the Midwest and Northeast. According to legend, a person can tell what kind of winter is ahead by observing the woolly bear's coat. If the brown segment between the two black segments is long, the winter will be mild. A narrow brown band means a long, cold winter is ahead.
Koyukon Indians in Alaska say the winter's snowfall is predicted by snowshoe hares. If the hares leave wide footprints in the fall, it indicates extra-furry hind feet, a sign that heavy snowfalls will follow.
A cow's tail to the west is weather coming at its best; a cow's tail to the east is weather coming at its least.
If you count the number of cricket chirps in 14 seconds, then add 40 to your tally, you supposedly come up with a good approximation of the temperature in Fahrenheit degrees.
Earthworms pour out of the ground just before a big flood.
And in my resident state of Utah, there is a locally famous turtle who can predict if it's going to be an early winter or not.
Last, but far from least, I was friends with a dog once who could predict pizza delivery within two miles, and a cat who knew whenever a can opener was retrieved from the drawer.
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