There is a folklore belief that a white caterpillar (woolly bear caterpillar) with a narrow brown middle band predicts a harsh winter ahead, while one with a wider brown band predicts a milder winter. However, this is not scientifically proven and should not be relied upon for accurate weather forecasting.
People look for the intensity of the black color on the banded caterpillars, that are black and brown, or they compare the ratio of the black to brown coloration on the bodies of the caterpillars. If there is more brown than black, they predict it will be a milder winter, and, if there is more black than brown, there will be a very harsh winter.
Someone told me a solid black caterpillar means cold weather for the up and coming winter season. I live in the midwest...we didn't have a real cold winter but we had a lot of snow.
According to the Farmer's Almanac, if a caterpillar is wooly and all white with a black stripe down the middle, it could be a bad winter. A plain white wooly caterpillar means a very bad winter.
The wooly worm does not affect weather. They are indicators of weather because they are hardly ever seen in warm months such as July or June. We always see them in fall in a hurry to get somewhere. They are going into hibernation. So when you see a wooly worm headed somewhere during a month such as October or November that means cold temperatures are coming. ----- People look for the intensity of the black color on the banded caterpillars, that are black and brown, or they compare the ratio of the black to brown coloration on the bodies of the caterpillars. If there is more brown than black, they predict it will be a milder winter, and, if there is more black than brown, there will be a very harsh winter.
It means that the caterpillar pooped
The woolly bear caterpillar can be black without its otherwise hallmark coppery red middle band.Specifically, the eggs are laid by the adult Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella) during the summer, for hatching throughout the fall and winter. Caterpillars from the same clutch may sport a color range from red with minute black specks to the reverse. According to North American folklore, a predominantly or all black woolly bear caterpillar means upcoming severe winter weather. Such a dire prediction in fact tallies with this scientist/naturalist's observations of the weather during the critical months of May and September 2011.
"What is the symbolism of finding a dead caterpillar?"
Your hamster is probably a russian winter white dwarf, they change color when it's cold.
In Middle English, it means caterpillar.
Harsh
People who believe woolly worms can predict the weather think that a narrow red-brown band means a harsh winter. The wider the red-brown band is, the milder the coming winter is supposed to be.