Q&A for How to Care for a Giant Leopard Moth Caterpillar

Usually they are not active during the winter, but sometimes they are on mild days. It's also possible that the caterpillar hatched later than usual. It should pupate in the spring. Caterpillars are very flexible, so it's normal for them to move around a lot.

When it is ready to pupate, it will stop eating for a few days and become sluggish.

You can feed it domesticated leaves as long as they are what the caterpillar likes to eat, such as dandelion, lilacs, violets, citrus fruits, and honeysuckle.

It probably won't recognize it as food, but if it does it could be harmful.

The parasites most likely to affect the caterpillars are actually wasps or flies laying eggs on them. When the eggs hatch, the larvae eat the caterpillar.

It may be preparing to pupate. Or, it may be dying, if it has a disease or parasite.

They are likely another kind of giant woolly bear caterpillar. They may be sluggish due to the season. During winter, they will hibernate, and then the reawaken in the spring. As they're transitioning in and out of hibernation, they may be sluggish. They are probably there because you have some of the plants they like to eat.

It's best to look around outside for one, especially on the plants they like, such as magnolias, dandelions, lilacs, violets, honeysuckle, and citrus plants. They are most active in the fall because they hibernate all winter. You may be able to find one that's fattening up to pupate in the spring.

They usually curl their heads down against the surface they are on; they also do this when preparing to pupate.

If you left it outside in the cold, it probably froze to death. If it's in a cocoon, you may have to wait another week. If you see no movement or action at all, it's probably dead. You can try gently opening the cocoon and taking a peek, but it's possible you could kill it by doing this if it's still alive.

It depends where you live, but these caterpillars hibernate during winter. If you can’t find one, these caterpillars can be purchased online.

Giant leopard moths live for about 8-9 weeks, not including the caterpillar and pupae stages.

If it is warm inside your house it may think it is spring/summer. So, it would still make a cocoon. If you have a warm house throughout winter, it'll be fine.

Leopard moths live in forested areas that have what they like to eat: magnolias, dandelions, lilacs, violets, honeysuckle and citrus plants.

Yes. Giant leopard moths wrap themselves in silk before they pupate. Watch for that while you're raising your leopard moth.

Giant leopard moths live for about 8-9 weeks, not including the caterpillar and pupae stages.

Caterpillars are herbivores so it would be bizarre for them to try and eat you. After it crawls on you it might still feel as if it’s still there simply because it needs to make fine gripping motions to stay in place. Your skin is sensitive to touch, even small insect crawling touches, so the feeling is probably just an after effect that will soon go away. Nothing to with it trying to eat you.

For most butterflies it takes them a few hours to dry and inflate their wings.

The caterpillar will start hibernating when the temperature drops. To make sure they will hibernate, you can put the container with the caterpillar outside in your barn, that way they will react to the temperature outside. As long as it's warm, they won't start hibernating.

The hairs on the caterpillar do not sting and are completely safe. Make sure you are dealing with the caterpillar from the giant leopard moth family, though, as other species can sting!