Luna moth
Actias luna (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Hindwings have long curving tails. Wings are pale green, each with a transparent eyespot. Outer margins are pink in the southern spring brood, yellow in the southern summer brood and in northern populations.
Wing Span: 2 15/16 - 4 1/8 inches (7.5 - 10.5 cm).
Life History: Adults are very strong fliers and are attracted to lights. Mating takes place after midnight, and egg-laying begins that evening. Females lay eggs in small groups or singly on both surfaces of host plant leaves. The eggs hatch in about one week and the caterpillars are sedentary and solitary feeders. Leaves and silk are used to spin papery brown cocoons in litter under the host plant.
Flight: One brood from May-July in the north, two to three broods from March-September in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of trees including white birch (Betula papyrifera), persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), hickories (Carya), walnuts (Juglans), and sumacs (Rhus).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous hardwood forests.
Range: Common. Nova Scotia west to Saskatchewan and eastern North Dakota; south to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and eastern Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Taxonomy Notes: This moth is often mistakenly referred to as the Lunar Moth, instead of the Luna Moth. It is also sometimes referred to as the American Moon Moth.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 2812 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: Chlodobaggins
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 09, 2019
Observation date: May 07, 2015
Submitted by: hmsvenson
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 09, 2019
Observation date: Sep 08, 2019
Submitted by: Mary-Lou
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 09, 2019
Observation date: Sep 07, 2019
Submitted by: Greta
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 08, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: eschermer
Region: Botetourt County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 08, 2019
Observation date: Sep 06, 2019
Submitted by: HippyMom
Region: Collin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 08, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Sep 05, 2019
Observation date: Sep 03, 2019
Submitted by: EG
Region: Ellis County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 04, 2019
Observation date: Sep 04, 2019
Submitted by: thunder
Region: Collin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 04, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: MSuddeth
Region: Maryland, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Aug 29, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: Miya
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: susancbm
Region: Independence County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 24, 2019
Observation date: Jul 04, 2019
Submitted by: Stormiejo79
Region: Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 14, 2019
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Jul 15, 2019
Submitted by: carolinabutterf...
Region: York County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 22, 2019
Observation date: Jun 18, 2007
Submitted by: Bob Crowley
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: LinCepek
Region: Stokes County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 08, 2019
Submitted by: BLWood478
Region: Shawnee County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 18, 2019
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: vabch butterflies
Region: Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 17, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: KarenMarie101
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 17, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: JRoper
Region: Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 15, 2019
Observation date: Aug 14, 2019
Submitted by: Gregl
Region: Murray County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 15, 2019
Observation date: Jul 24, 2019
Submitted by: mrdaveyla
Region: Virginia, United States, Wythe County
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 14, 2019
- 1 of 118
- next ›