How do Plants and How do Plants and Animals predict Animals predict

weather?weather?By Sahana ThirumazhusaiBy Sahana Thirumazhusai

Fact or CoincidenceFact or Coincidence

Some animals and Some animals and plants can predict the plants can predict the weather. weather.

But sometimes it just But sometimes it just might be a might be a coincidence.coincidence.

Animals like the ground Animals like the ground hog seeing it’s shadow hog seeing it’s shadow and magically deciding and magically deciding if the winter is over. if the winter is over.

No animal or plant could No animal or plant could do that 100% every do that 100% every year.year.

The feline way to predict The feline way to predict weatherweather

““If cats lick themselves fair weather If cats lick themselves fair weather comes.”comes.”

When there is fair weather STATIC When there is fair weather STATIC ELECTRICITY may build up on a cat when ELECTRICITY may build up on a cat when it touches other objectsit touches other objects

Cat fur loses ELECTRONS alot so cats Cat fur loses ELECTRONS alot so cats become positivebecome positive

Most cats don’t like being stroked when Most cats don’t like being stroked when the air humidity is low because electric the air humidity is low because electric charge can build up and cause small charge can build up and cause small sparks which naturally irritates the catsparks which naturally irritates the cat

The feline way to predict The feline way to predict weather weather

When a cat licks When a cat licks itself, the moisture itself, the moisture makes the fur makes the fur more conductive so more conductive so the charge can the charge can “leak” off“leak” off

The cricket way to The cricket way to predict weatherpredict weather

Crickets can tell the Crickets can tell the temperatures just by temperatures just by chirpingchirping

Cricket Temperature Cricket Temperature FormulaFormula Count the cricket’s Count the cricket’s

chirps for fourteen chirps for fourteen secondsseconds

Then add fortyThen add forty That is the temperature That is the temperature

of wherever the cricket of wherever the cricket isis

The cowThe cow way to predict way to predict weatherweather

““A cow with it’s tail to the west A cow with it’s tail to the west makes weather the best; A cow with makes weather the best; A cow with it’s tail to the east makes weather it’s tail to the east makes weather the least”the least”

When cows graze it’s their instinct to When cows graze it’s their instinct to face away from the windface away from the wind

When a predator tries to attack from When a predator tries to attack from the back the wind sends the smell to the back the wind sends the smell to the animal in dangerthe animal in danger

The cowThe cow way to predict way to predict weatherweather

East winds usually bring East winds usually bring rain in the northern rain in the northern hemisphere and West hemisphere and West winds usually bring fair winds usually bring fair weather in the north weather in the north hemisphere . hemisphere .

If you see a cow lying If you see a cow lying down on a field it may down on a field it may mean that rain is on the mean that rain is on the way because cows can way because cows can sense the rain and lie sense the rain and lie down to make sure they down to make sure they have a dry place to lie on have a dry place to lie on

The seagull way to The seagull way to predict weatherpredict weather

Seagulls roost more Seagulls roost more during low pressure during low pressure conditions than high conditions than high pressurepressure

Since rain usually Since rain usually comes during low comes during low pressure seagulls turn pressure seagulls turn into weather signsinto weather signs

Before a hurricane, Before a hurricane, large flocks of large flocks of Seagulls are seen Seagulls are seen roostingroosting

The pinecone way to The pinecone way to predict weatherpredict weather

A pinecone can be A pinecone can be a useful weather a useful weather tooltool

In dry weather the In dry weather the scales shrivel up scales shrivel up and stand out and stand out stifflystiffly

When they close When they close up it means that up it means that rain is on the way rain is on the way

The flower way to The flower way to predict weatherpredict weather

"Pimpernel, pimpernel, "Pimpernel, pimpernel, tell me true.  Whether tell me true.  Whether the weather be fine or the weather be fine or no. No heart can think, no. No heart can think, no tongue can tell. The no tongue can tell. The virtues of the virtues of the pimpernel."pimpernel."

Chickweed, dandelions, Chickweed, dandelions, bindweeds, wild indigo, bindweeds, wild indigo, clovers, morning glories, clovers, morning glories, scarlet pimpernels and scarlet pimpernels and tulips all fold their petals tulips all fold their petals up during rain.up during rain.

The fungi way to The fungi way to predict weatherpredict weather

Rain star, Rain star, mushrooms and mushrooms and mosses open up mosses open up when there is rain when there is rain and they close and they close when there is dry when there is dry weatherweather

The woolen way to The woolen way to predict weatherpredict weather

Wool can also Wool can also predict weather in a predict weather in a way similar to the way similar to the pinecones and the pinecones and the flowersflowers

When the air is dry When the air is dry the wool shrinks the wool shrinks and curls up and if and curls up and if the rain is on the the rain is on the way it swells and way it swells and straightens outstraightens out

The kelp way The kelp way to predict to predict weatherweather

Kelp or seaweed or Kelp or seaweed or weather weed weather weed predict weather predict weather

These weather These weather indicators predicts indicators predicts weather by shriveling weather by shriveling when dry and swells when dry and swells up and feels damp if up and feels damp if rain threatensrain threatens

Kelp can grow to be Kelp can grow to be as tall as 200 feetas tall as 200 feet

Fact and cool stuffFact and cool stuffAnimals and Plants use the sun as a Animals and Plants use the sun as a

calendar to know when to hibernate, calendar to know when to hibernate, migrate etc.migrate etc.

Temperatures and weather help them to Temperatures and weather help them to decide. decide.

Did you know that harvested kelp algin is Did you know that harvested kelp algin is used in the manufacturing of ice cream, used in the manufacturing of ice cream, salad dressing, beer, paper and cosmetics salad dressing, beer, paper and cosmetics among other thingsamong other things

Kelp is grown in china and Japan for foodKelp is grown in china and Japan for food