THANK YOU!!!!! I google searched the scientific name you provided and there are tons of caterpillar pics. I wonder why in my hours upon hours of searching through hundreds of caterpillar pics I could not find it. Oh well, you guys are AWESOME! THANKS AGAIN!! :-)

misssherry...Thanks for the id. VF seemed the most likely when looking at my Kaufman Field Guide, but they quickly all began looking similar. I saw my first MC a couple of years ago while subbing on someone elses mail route that was in a wooded country setting, and it was so beautiful! I knew the moment I saw this one what it was and grabbed my camera while yelling for my husband to come see. Just like you, I wish I could see them more often! christie and terrene...thanks for the compliment. It sure seemed to like my hummingbird feeder as it hung out there for quite some time and revisited for days. I never saw it ever go to any of the many flowers I still have blooming.

Wonder, Garden, and Norma..Thanks for your replies..lol You guys had me LOL'ing away..If the pillar was going to turn into a moth, it'd had been out on it's slinky butt that night, but it's going to be a non-native butterfly, so I feel bad tossing it outside in freezing temps. It's been 40's during the day, 20's at night. I am very upset about my, once beautiful, Crown of Thorns, and you guys are right, if it had/s babies or friends, that'd be the end of my plants. I'm not sure that particular Crown will make it..One of my fav succulents. Does anyone know if caterpillars are egg layers? It's living in the sink, surrounded by leaves and grass. Plus I've been misting leaves for moisture. My dh, (nut) suggested placing it in the gh..If I had a gun...lol..j/k.. We can't find information, especially about someone who lives in the midwest, keeping a caterpillar, indoors..lol. I found a site that displayed 600+ caterpillar pics, but none fit the bill. I discovered, the standard caterpillar is 1-2" long..this guy is nearing 4"..A 4" pillar is called a King. Some pillars have stingers, unlike a bee, wasp, etc..I can't recall which part of their body contains venom for protection..when someone or something brushes/touches them, the venom is absorbed through pores..it can cause mild irritation to extreme, some ppl have to seek medical attention..3 ppl picked/touched him/her, without harm, excluding myself..I lifted him w/a stick..lol. To top that off, yesterday, my dogs were in the yard. The smaller dog was licking something..I thought he took one of his stuffed animals outside..I approached, found he was licking a baby possum..the rodent was about 8", no mom or dad nearby..I hurriedly lifted my dog, brought in the house, and washed his mouth..Though we're not possum lovers, we felt sorry for this little guy..Later in the night, he was standing before the glass doors looking inside..it was strange!!! He/she wanted in..out of the cold, and dinner..of course we didn't adopt him, too..I hope he finds his mother. What next??? An elephant? lol Norma, I know how you feel about spiders, and respect your 'courage,' lol, but I'm arachnophobic..as for mealy, it's a matter of working with plants, cleaning areas and plants, inspection, etc.. Even seeing the tiniest spider, I'm a slam-dunking, Michael Jordon..lolol, running for dear life, w/o the pay. But seriously, does anyone have any idea where or how to keep the pillar? I don't want him eating my plants, but will spare leaves. Mainly foliage from large Pothos and cleaned outdoor grass. I cannot believe he ate leaves from a Euphorbia, a toxic plant, yet alive and well.. So far. Thanks for everyone's help..Toni

Oh my! Silent, your mention of saddlebacks made me go look them up - we just saw one! My 10 yo daughter and I were at a restaurant and she found one on the sidewalk. We used a piece of paper to move it off the pavement to a spot under a shrub. Fortunately, she is squeamish about touching many bugs. But I came *that* close to just picking it up for her. I sure would have been sorry. I didn't know there was such a thing as stinging caterpillar - they look so innocuous. Thanks for mentioning it!