a couple of inches
long
All caterpillars eventually turn into butterflies.
yes! beetles eat caterpillars because caterpillars cannot eat beetles because they are softer and smaller so, beetles some do it caterpillars.
some caterpillars will chew the leaves, but nothing too bad
Buckeye caterpillars are not poisonous. There are some caterpillars that do contain toxins that is harmful to humans but the Buckeye is not one of them.
I've seen some caterpillars all over Oregon Sunshine (eriophyllum lanatum), but these were grub-like caterpillars with a few long hairs (orange and black stripes, of course). I'm not sure if they were the same caterpillar?
two years
Some caterpillars do in fact eat greenflies. Not all caterpillars will eat greenflies or like insects because they don't like them.
It is a good idea to take some caterpillars and raise them to be adult butterflies. Especially if it is a monarch caterpillar. But make sure you identify the caterpillar before you do.
Peacock butterfly caterpillars are not poisonous to humans. There are some caterpillars that are poisonous, usually these are brightly colored caterpillars.
a year
for ages