Is it usual a Woolly Bear caterpillar to persistently re-emerge from winter refuge under the outside door-step to lounge on the doormat waiting to get stepped on? Again today - in cold, snowy Ontario.
Honestly, I don’t know. I have the habit of moving them to safer leaf litter.
Welcome to the forum!
It was a common occurence for me last winter in Quebec, with the lack of early snow cover and temperature consistently spiking up throughout the season, I must’ve moved over 10 caterpillars in the yard that were active early through December-February.
Not to say that’s expected, annually common, or remotely good for them - but I don’t imagine our conditions will be much more favourable for them in the east this winter either.
Thank you - the creature was so persistent in leaving its hide-way under the front steps, and settling clear of any protection, where it could get stepped on or eaten, that after a few tries I had taken it around the back and, as you appropriately deduced, sunk it into the copious leaf litter there - haven’t seen it since. It’s actions would have perhaps made sense if it were trying to escape the warmth of the house in order to hibernate (only reason I could think of), but I don’t believe that can be the case here.
. . . and what is the root of the deadly compunction Wooly Bears have to willy-nilly stroll across busy roads in the fall?
Much like deer… roads?
We sometimes forget we put the roads in the middle of their woods.