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Hypercompe scribonia
This has to be the largest Giant Leopard Moth caterpillar I have ever seen. It's at least 2, maybe 2.5 inches in length. I'm a little worried about this caterpillar because it's been hanging out on my front steps since early in the evening last night, literally hanging there. I'm worried it might morph into a chrysalis right there on the steps. Aside from possibly getting stepped on or knocked off accidentally, my other concern is the temperature. The low last night was around 40 degrees, not horribly bad; but over the next couple of nights the temperature is expected to drop from 32 degrees tomorrow night to 26 degrees on Saturday night. Can it survive low temperatures like that? I would love to make sure it has the best chance at survival because it's such a beautiful caterpillar, and Giant Leopard Moths are gorgeous moths. I would also love to watch its transformation, but I don't want to potentially harm it by bringing it indoors to a temperature that might be too warm. Suggestions?
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