Q&A for How to Take Care of Inchworms

Keep the inch worm where you know nothing will happen to him/her. I keep my inch worm in my room. When I'm at school I put him on my window sill so he can get sunlight, and I always check if he needs new leaves before I leave.

Yes, but do not just put water in the cup. It will drown them. They get their water from the leaves they eat. If they are not eating the leaves, make sure you put in leaves that it will eat, to get the needed nourishment.

As long as you're gentle, go for it.

No. Most bugs, including inchworms, need the sun to stay warm, or else they would freeze. If you put your inchworms someplace cold, they may die.

You probably can just give them new leaves when there isn't much left or they are dry or crinkled up. It's not a matter of how often they eat, it's really what they eat at their own pace.

Tear a stem or branch from the plant or tree you found them in.

You can use any cup, but the most suitable types are clear ones made of glass that let sunlight in. If you use a dark, plastic cup, put it near a window, because inchworms need lots of sunlight.

It doesn't really matter. They like to climb, so maybe have the toothpicks lead to a small stick.

No, they do not hurt humans. Do some research to learn more about them -- knowledge is important.

A good way to give them water is to get part of a paper towel wet pall it up and give it to them. Or, they mostly just get water from the moisture in the leaves or grass. Do not put water in a container in, or the inchworm will drown.

You might find your inchworm in a package of fresh fruit or vegetables. You can add a few of them to a jar covered in a thin fabric (like cheesecloth) with a rubber band to keep him from escaping. Add a few sticks for him to climb on as well.

Your air holes may have been too big. Next time, try to make smaller ones, and make sure it always has enough food to eat.

Most animals need sunlight to stay healthy, but clouds aren't a worry. Enough light still gets through them to keep animals happy.

Pick it up very carefully with your pointer and thumb, and it get it somewhere safe, or put it in a tree.

Sometimes they take a short break. When they stop moving and situate themselves on a high surface or object (like a stick), they might be pupating (turning into a cocoon), so don't bother them. If it is laying on its side or has been still for a few days, assume the worst.

You don't really check if it is dead. You kind of put it in a container or something like that, but make sure it has air in it. If it hasn't moved in like 2-4 days, then it is probably dead.

Usually, if the inchworm has a black head, it's male, and if it has a green head, it is female.

Try laying out some leaves for it to eat to attract it if it's still in the room. It's not going to hurt you, so don't worry if you can't find it.

Inchworms are actually caterpillars, so they should be fine.

Yes, that's their cocoon. Let the cocoon be; it will hatch in a couple of days.

This could be a piece of webbing.

Inchworms actually are caterpillars, not worms.

Maybe try lightly tapping the back of them to see if they will move. Give them some fresh leaves and see if they will eat. Make sure they are in the sunlight. Maybe, with supervision, take them outside. They may be missing the fresh air.

Put it in a small pocket and zip it up. Put a leaf in too. Take him out as soon as you get home.

Each type eats different plants, so give it a few different types from the area you found it. See which one attracts it.

Not really. It definitely is a good idea, though. You can also use toothpicks.

You should move it into/onto a safe area or container. Once it is in the container you can try to give it a variety of different plants and leaves to eat. Replace dry or moldy plants often. If the plant is not dry, but is small or bitten, get more of this plant, because this is probably what it likes to eat. We give our inch worm lots of variety to choose from.

Your inchworm can eat pretty much every leaf in the wild. Just make sure the leaf is green and healthy, not brown or crinkly.

Inchworms may also eat fruit or lettuce.

Check for leaves in the area, and try out many to see which it will eat. If the leaves have small holes in them that seem like munch marks, then it has eaten these and you can continue feeding these leaves.