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Luna Moth


Picture
The Luna moth (Actias luna) has approximately a 3 to 4 inch wingspan.  The wings are pale green, and each has a transparent eyespot.  The hindwings have long, curving tails.  In the spring, southern moths have pink outer margins, but in the summer, the margins are yellow.  The northern populations have yellow margins.  As you can see in the photos above, all were southern species.

The Luna moth mates after midnight, and the female lays eggs either singly or in small groups on both the upper and lower surface of the host plant leaves.  The eggs hatch in about one week.  The caterpillars are sedentary and feed on the host plant which include the White Birch, Persimmon, Sweet Gum, Hickories, Walnuts, and Sumacs.  The adults of this species do not feed.

These moths are considered common in deciduous hardwood forests.  They are found from Nova Scotia west to Saskatchewan and eastern North Dakota, south to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and eastern Texas.

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  • Home
  • Animals
    • Birds >
      • Avian Taxonomy
      • Bird Species Profiles
    • Mammal Species Profiles
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians >
      • Frog and Toad Species Profiles
    • Fish
    • Arthropods >
      • Arthropod Species Profiles
  • Plants
    • Native Plant Societies
    • Eastern Plant Identification Guide
  • Fungi
    • Fungi Species Profiles
  • Protists
  • Nature Products Store
  • Cell Phone Ringtones
  • Madbird Feeder Cam
  • Ramblings of the Madbird Biologist
  • Bird Videos
  • News in Science
  • Nature Inspired Recipes
  • An Introduction to Scientific Classification and Naming
  • Birds in the Classroom
  • Resources
  • About Me