Data and code from: Microscale temperatures affect the incidence and implications of predator-avoidance behavior in monarch caterpillars

The non-consumptive effects associated with the predator-avoidance behaviors of potential prey species may commonly be context-dependent. In this study, we examined how temperature differences between the plant surface and the ground change the consequences of predator-avoidance dropping behavior in monarch caterpillars. We hypothesized that these temperature differences change on both diel and seasonal timescales, and that the risk associated with exposure to potentially high ground temperatures is likely to be greater for smaller caterpillars that have less thermal inertia and movement ability. We conducted field experiments to assess the mortality risk associated with dropping to the ground for different-sized caterpillars at a wide range of ground temperatures and to assess whether caterpillars show a willingness to drop that is consistent with their actual survival probability. We found that the survivorship consequences of dropping depend on both temperature and caterpillar size a..., These data were collected as part of a field study. See the associated manuscript for more details., , # Data and code from: Microscale temperatures affect the incidence and implications of predator-avoidance behavior in monarch caterpillars

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1c59zw46j](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1c59zw46j)

### Description of the data and file structure

We conducted field experiments to assess the mortality risk associated with dropping to the ground for different-sized caterpillars at a wide range of ground temperatures and to assess whether caterpillars show a willingness to drop that is consistent with their actual survival probability.

### Files and variables

**File:** Caterpillar_Drop_Project_-_cost_of_drop.csv

**Description:** Dataset for the *Drop-survival experiment*.

**Variables**

* date: date in %m-%d-%Y format
* time: time in %I:%M %p format
* instar: larval instar, 1-5
* size.mm: length in mm
* ground.temp.land.C: temperature of the ground in degrees Celsius
* drop.height.cm: initial height in centimeters
* land.dist.cm: distance from landing point to ...,