Large green caterpillar GEHP

[Gordon Ramel]

This message is from Karen Delp <delpk at msn.com>, a woman, retired (early)
from the federal gov't (Not an intern) from Northern Virginia, USA.

  I am trying to identify this large green caterpillar that I found on my
lawn today, apparently having fallen from a tree where it appears to be
making silk.  It is 4-5 inches long, perhaps an inch in diameter with blue
and yellow small spikes.  Toward the front, as further camouflage, about
three pair of those spikes look like there are ladybugs on them.  I
returned this caterpillar to the webbed portion of the tree branch.  Will
this web harm my tree?  Will the caterpillar enshrine itself and stay
through the winter?  I've not seen such a large one before; is it rare? 
Should I do something more to protect it?  (This is more than one question,
and I understand that you are busy people--if there is a book I can go to
in the local library and learn all about this caterpillar, just point me in
the right direction and I shall do so.)  Thanks so much for your help. 
This large creature created quite a stir with the neighborhood children and
I'd like to be able to answer their qu!
estions.  

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