Thursday, September 24, 2026
66.0°F
Ideally, marmots’ births are timed so they’re ready to eat when plants are first ready for harvest.

Stories this photo appears in:

Groundhogs are lousy forecasters but valuable animal engineers – and an important food source
February 7, 2026 1 a.m.

Groundhogs are lousy forecasters but valuable animal engineers – and an important food source

Whether you call him groundhog, woodchuck, whistle-pig or use the full genus and species name, Marmota monax, the nation’s premiere animal weather forecaster has been making headlines as Punxsutawney Phil for decades.