February 2nd each year: Groundhog Day is celebrated in the U.S. each year on February 2nd. On this day in mid-winter, the groundhog awakens from a long winter's nap, and goes outside of his den to see if he sees his shadow. This tradition is big on an otherwise cold and dreary mid-winter's day. According to legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow (a sunny morning), there will be six more weeks of winter. He then returns to his den and goes back to sleep. If however, he does not see his shadow (cloudy days), he plays around outside of his hole for a while. If he does not see his shadow, spring is just around the corner. The Groundhog's Day tradition travelled long ways. It comes from German roots. German immigrants brought the tradition with them from Germany. As they settled in hills of Pennsylvania, they began the tradition of using the Groundhog to predict the the arrival of Spring. The tradition is based upon Candlemas, the day that is the midpoint between Winter and Spring. A famous Candlemas poems goes: If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again.
Woodchucks, also known as groundhogs and whistle pigs, are the largest members of the squirrel family in their geographic range. They have ever-growing incisors that must be worn down by chewing to prevent serious health issues. They are true hibernators, which means they enter the burrow in the late fall and sleep until spring. Their burrows have multiple entrances, may have 45 feet of tunnels and go as deep as five feet.
RANGE: East central Alaska south to northern Idaho and across southern Canada as well as throughout the eastern United States to central Alabama and Arkansas and west to the Plains states.HABITAT: Edges of forests where there is open land, along fence rows, heavily planted gullies or stream banks, farmland, grassy pastures, woodlots DIET: Primarily herbivores grazing on grasses and forbs (any non-woody flowering plant that is not a grass), clovers, leaves of sassafras and other trees, farm crops and a variety of herbs. When green vegetation is not readily available, woodchucks will eat buds, bark, twigs, fruits (i.e. apples and paw paws) and occasionally insects, snails and bird eggs.
RANGE: East central Alaska south to northern Idaho and across southern Canada as well as throughout the eastern United States to central Alabama and Arkansas and west to the Plains states.HABITAT: Edges of forests where there is open land, along fence rows, heavily planted gullies or stream banks, farmland, grassy pastures, woodlots DIET: Primarily herbivores grazing on grasses and forbs (any non-woody flowering plant that is not a grass), clovers, leaves of sassafras and other trees, farm crops and a variety of herbs. When green vegetation is not readily available, woodchucks will eat buds, bark, twigs, fruits (i.e. apples and paw paws) and occasionally insects, snails and bird eggs.
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