Does a Yellow Woolly Bear Mean Endless Summer in Torrington?

I saw the cutest yellow Woolly Bear caterpillar along the banks of the Naugatuck River today, August 29, 2024, in Torrington. This is the time of year, the cusp of summer/fall that us salty old New Englanders pay attention to these little prognosticators.

The yellow was unusual, I'm used to looking for the traditional orange/rust/black-banded Woolly Bears that predict how severe, or mild, our upcoming winter will be. According to folklore, the longer the Woolly Bear caterpillar's black bands are in contrast to the middle orange/brown/rust, the longer, colder, and more severe our coming winter. On the other hand, if the middle brown/orange/rust is dominant, a milder winter is on the way. Does a yellow Woolley Bear mean that 2024 is the year of never ending summer for Connecticut?

I looked into it, and I can confidently tell you that the answer is no. In fact, another version of this same folklore could apply to the little, hairy yellow baby that I saw today. The other version of the folklore is that the woolly-er a woolly bear caterpillar's coat appears, say they all look like little Jack Harlow's, the worse the winter will be.

According to wikipedia.com, I saw a baby Spilocoma virginica, a yellow Wooley Bear or Yellow Bear Caterpillar. It will grow up to be a Virginian tiger moth, which are common all over the US, especially out West. Yellow Bear caterpillars aren't poisonous, but I can tell you from experience, the little hairs can be irritating. Will the Summer of 2024 end in Torrington? Just wait 6 weeks, I guarantee that.