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General Distribution
It is impossible to classify the ideal climatic or geographical condition for caterpillar survival. Among the nearly 200,000 species of butterflies and moths, there are caterpillars adapted to nearly every region of the world. Caterpillars are strongly associated with forest habitats since most feed heavily on leaves, but they can be found in a wide geographical range. While certain caterpillars can survive in Arctic conditions, there are few that survive the prohibitively cold conditions of elevations above 18,000 feet.
Diet and Habitat
During the larval stage, the caterpillar devotes most of its time and energy to eating in preparation for metamorphosis. The need to find fuel for this important transformation gives caterpillars their reputation as voracious eaters and sometimes destructive pests. The most common diet for a caterpillar is the leaf matter of flowering trees and plants. Many caterpillars are very particular about their preferred food species, eating only the leaves of the plant on which their mother laid her eggs. Caterpillar habitat is therefore limited to the conditions in which particular kinds of vegetation grow.
Leaf Dwellings
Caterpillars living in areas with flourishing vegetation have a variety of strategies for making foliage into an ideal habitat. Some practice leaf rolling, curling a leaf edge and sealing it with sticky silk to create a protective tube that simultaneously nourishes emerging larvae. Some species, such as the Promethea moth, use this method to develop into a pupa. Members of the tiger moth family, or Arctiidae, uses its silk to tie leaves together into a web that can stretch across branches. Still other caterpillars mine tiny tunnels through the leaves, hiding within these spaces as they take in chlorophyll-rich leaf matter.
Artificial Habitats
An enclosed caterpillar habitat can be made from an aquarium or large plastic container with holes poked in it for ventilation. Containers designed for keeping and observing caterpillars must take into account the dietary needs of the particular species. The common Easter Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar, for example, prefers black cherry, tulip tree, and sweet bay magnolia leaves. Placing several cuttings from the host plant in a cup of water will provide several days' worth of food for a caterpillar. The habitat also must include a pupation site, which is a structure on which caterpillars can form their cocoon or chrysalis. Some caterpillars build a hanging chrysalis and, therefore, prefer a horizontally suspended stick, while others attach to the side of a vertical stick. Research the habits and needs of your particular species as you construct your artificial habitat.