In the spirit of friendly competition, the Texas armadillo, “Bee Cave Bob,” is challenging Punxsutawney Phil to see which mascot has the most accurate weather forecast.
During a cloudy Armadillo Day event held in Bee Cave, TX on Friday, residents gathered to watch the beloved armadillo make his weather predictions, giving Texans something to look forward to after an unseasonably harsh winter.
“Folks, he ain’t seeing no shadow, so by the power invested in me, we’re going to have our spring, it’s going to start March 11,” the announcer said.
Bee Cave Bob’s predictions matched Punxutawney Phil’s prediction of an early spring as Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog predicted an early spring is coming after he did not see his shadow during the annual Groundhog Day event on Friday.
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This Jan. 15, 2009 picture made available by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department shows a nine-banded armadillo in Texas. With some genetic sleuthing, scientists have fingered a likely culprit in the spread of leprosy in the southern United States: the nine-banded armadillo. (AP Photo / Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Chase Fountain)
The armadillo’s owner told Fox 7 Austin that Bee Cave Bob has been 100 percent accurate in his predictions in years past.
“I don’t know if that’s a Texas tale or not, but that’s what someone just told me,” Animal trainer and rehabilitator Ralph Fisher told Fox 7.
The holiday was created when a group of friends decided Texas needed its own mascot for predicting the weather each Groundhog Day.
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PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA – FEBRUARY 02: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro poses for a portrait with Groundhog handler AJ Dereume and Punxsutawney Phil, who saw his shadow, predicting a late spring during the 137th annual Groundhog Day festivities on February 2, 2023 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Groundhog Day is a popular tradition in the United States and Canada. A crowd of upwards of 5000 people spent a night of revelry awaiting the sunrise and the groundhog’s exit from his winter den. If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his den. Early spring arrives if he does not see his shadow, causing Phil to remain above ground. (Michael Swensen/Getty Images)
Since 2011, Bee Cave Bob has been predicting whether spring is coming or winter will be extended by another six weeks in the Lone Star State, but the armadillo’s forecast doesn’t always match the Philadelphia groudhog’s pick.
According to Spectrum News 1, last year, Phil predicted an extended winter, while Bob said spring was on its way after he did not see his own shadow.
In his more than ten-year career, the majority of Bob’s predictions were for an early spring. He predicted an extended winter only three times, in 2011, 2013 and 2022, according to Spectrum News 1.
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FILE – Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 136th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., Feb. 2, 2022. On Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, people will once again gather at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summon him from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he has seen his shadow. According to folklore, if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. If he does not, spring comes early. ((AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File))
Both mascots predict the weather through their shadows. If they can’t see their shadow, it means an early spring is coming, but if they see their shadows, winter is here to stay a little longer.
