10 Fun Facts About Groundhog Day
Every year on February 2, the country turns its attention to a small city in Pennsylvania to see if winter is ending. This morning, Punxsutawney Phil predicted that there will be six more weeks of winter. Phil is the weather-forecasting celebrity groundhog that comes out every year and either sees his shadow (six more weeks of winter) or doesn't (an early spring). We trust Phil to let us know if spring is coming early or if we should bundle up for six more weeks of winter, but how much do we know about him? Best Pest Control has 10 fun facts about this famous rodent.
1. The Groundhog Day folklore dates back to 1886, and this year was Punxsutawney Phil's 131 prediction.
8. There's only one Phil. Phil has been doing readings since the 1800s and has stayed alive this long due to a magical "Groundhog Punch" that he's fed every summer at the annual Groundhog Picnic. Just a sip of this magical punch extends his life for another seven years. So even if Phil misses out on six annual sips, he's still good to go with weather reports and newsmaking for one more year.
9. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle takes care of Phil the entire year. They also plan each year's big ceremony in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The Inner Circle currently has 15 members (16 if you count Phil). The members all have individual nicknames that tie into their careers.
10. When Phil is not predicting the weather, he lives in the town's library with his wife Phyllis. He also enjoys traveling and has even met big celebrities and public figures like Oprah and President Ronald Regan.
Happy Groundhog Day!
Although Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, it hasn't felt like winter at all this year. While it has been nice weather, the bugs are also enjoying the unusually warm winter. If you need help protecting your home from the insects enjoying the nice days we've been having, call the best pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks. Best Pest Control can help make sure your home is pest free, just call 573-348-1600 and schedule your appointment today!
2. Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Before he was known as Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog.
3. Since a groundhog hibernates for the winter, the act of it coming out of the ground is a natural sign of spring. In addition to groundhogs, people used to watch for other hibernating animals such as badgers, bears and hedgehogs as signs of winter's end.
4. A groundhog's burrow is more than just a hole in the ground. It can consist of nearly 50 feet of tunnels, buried 5 feet underground with multiple exits in case it needs to escape from predators.
5. There is another spring predicting groundhog in Ohio named Buckeye Chuck. He became Ohio's official weather-predicting groundhog in 1979 by an act of the state legislature.
6. According to the National Climatic Data Center, Phil has been wrong 15 times since 1988. However, when Phil doesn't see his shadow, he tends to be a bit better. Since the beginning, he's seen his shadow 15 times and was correct seven times for a 47 percent accuracy rate.
7. There are nine years without any records, and even the Punxsutawney Area Chamber of Commerce, which keeps track of the readings, don't know what happened to Phil during those years.
9. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle takes care of Phil the entire year. They also plan each year's big ceremony in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The Inner Circle currently has 15 members (16 if you count Phil). The members all have individual nicknames that tie into their careers.
10. When Phil is not predicting the weather, he lives in the town's library with his wife Phyllis. He also enjoys traveling and has even met big celebrities and public figures like Oprah and President Ronald Regan.
Happy Groundhog Day!
Although Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, it hasn't felt like winter at all this year. While it has been nice weather, the bugs are also enjoying the unusually warm winter. If you need help protecting your home from the insects enjoying the nice days we've been having, call the best pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks. Best Pest Control can help make sure your home is pest free, just call 573-348-1600 and schedule your appointment today!
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