Reading signs of seasonal change: Caterpillars, hedge apples, fall mushrooms

A black caterpillar—harbinger of doom?—spotted Thursday at 31st Street Harbor after the Chicago Fishing Advisory Committtee meeting. (Dale Bowman)

Larry Conn pointed to a black caterpillar climbing the concrete wall Thursday at 31st Street Harbor at the end of an outside meeting of the Chicago Fishing Advisory Committee.

That was the first of a crush of signs of seasonal change/folklore myths over the two days before the autumn equinox Saturday.