We Investigated! Is it True That "When the Snow Bugs Fly, the First Snow Will Fall"?

In Hokkaido, it is said that "when the snow bugs fly, the first snow will fall," but is this really true? In Hokkaido, the adult Todononeoowatamushi migrate to Yachidamo trees around October. Meanwhile, the first snowfall in Hokkaido is typically on October 28th in Sapporo, and as early as October 19th in Wakkanai and Asahikawa, the earliest in Hokkaido (※average values from the Sapporo District Meteorological Observatory).

In other words, the timing fits perfectly: the Todononeoowatamushi begin to fly, and the first snow falls shortly after.

The Todononeoowatamushi came to be called "snow bugs" because they are weak fliers, drifting and swaying in a way that resembles snow.

Their appearance signals the beginning of Hokkaido's long winter.