Attributes of Actias luna
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.
Taxonomy Notes: This moth is often mistakenly referred to as the Lunar Moth, instead of the Luna Moth.
Images of Actias luna
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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May 16, 2013 | Feedman | Westchester County, New York, United States | May 22, 2013 | Details |
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May 22, 2013 | DBurton | Porter County, Indiana, United States | May 22, 2013 | Details |
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May 20, 2013 | sjy | Virginia, Virginia Beach County, United States | May 20, 2013 | Details |
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May 17, 2013 | rseidler | Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States | May 18, 2013 | Details |
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May 04, 2013 | christine beavers | Franklin County, Illinois, United States | May 15, 2013 | Details |
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May 11, 2013 | Joseph Falco | Georgia, United States, Walker County | May 14, 2013 | Details |
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May 07, 2013 | misty78 | Lawrence County, Ohio, United States | May 09, 2013 | Details |
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April 30, 2013 | rdhealy1951 | Hardin County, Kentucky, United States | May 08, 2013 | Details |
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April 17, 2013 | seg3623 | Texas, Tarrant County, United States | May 06, 2013 | Details |
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May 02, 2013 | shamaw | Clermont County, Ohio, United States | May 05, 2013 | Details |
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May 05, 2013 | ruffcountry | Texas, Parker County, United States | May 05, 2013 | Details |
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May 01, 2013 | RockvilleMMF | Montgomery County, Maryland, United States | May 03, 2013 | Details |
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May 02, 2013 | cdbennett | Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States | May 02, 2013 | Details |
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April 27, 2013 | J Jessop | Durham County, North Carolina, United States | May 02, 2013 | Details |
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May 01, 2013 | powers19 | Stafford County, Virginia, United States | May 01, 2013 | Details |
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April 26, 2013 | Bwwshamel | Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States | April 29, 2013 | Details |
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April 27, 2013 | AmeliaM1 | Catawba County, North Carolina, United States | April 28, 2013 | Details |
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April 26, 2013 | mrscany | Suffolk County, New York, United States | April 26, 2013 | Details |
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April 21, 2013 | whitakra@alumni.nsuok.edu | Delaware County, Oklahoma, United States | April 24, 2013 | Details |
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April 18, 2013 | Kary_Clark | Moore County, North Carolina, United States | April 22, 2013 | Details |
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April 17, 2013 | alohapools | Butler County, Alabama, United States | April 19, 2013 | Details |
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April 19, 2013 | jess3402@yahoo.com | Chilton County, Alabama, United States | April 19, 2013 | Details |
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April 17, 2013 | JillWhis | Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States | April 18, 2013 | Details |
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April 13, 2013 | Ken Cheeks | Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States | April 16, 2013 | Details |
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April 12, 2013 | shaninglenn | James City County, Virginia, United States | April 13, 2013 | Details |
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April 13, 2013 | Kritter | Lawrence County, Alabama, United States | April 13, 2013 | Details |
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March 30, 2013 | jhboulware | Richland County, South Carolina, United States | April 13, 2013 | Details |
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April 09, 2013 | cariiannrose | Swain County, North Carolina, United States | April 09, 2013 | Details |
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March 31, 2013 | lesliecarlson | Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States | April 08, 2013 | Details |
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April 03, 2013 | billyarvia | Anderson County, South Carolina, United States | April 04, 2013 | Details |
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April 01, 2013 | CRM6622 | Choctaw County, Alabama, United States | April 01, 2013 | Details |
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March 28, 2013 | erica32paulk | Dale County, Alabama, United States | March 31, 2013 | Details |
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July 18, 2010 | Tonia_Borman | Jackson County, Ohio, United States | March 31, 2013 | Details |
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March 17, 2013 | JAKeverline | Texas, Travis County, United States | March 28, 2013 | Details |
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March 18, 2013 | JAKeverline | Texas, Travis County, United States | March 28, 2013 | Details |
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March 16, 2013 | Lbradley | Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States | March 26, 2013 | Details |
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March 19, 2013 | Carrie Wehmeyer | Comal County, Texas, United States | March 19, 2013 | Details |
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October 23, 2011 | ERICBATES | Bowie County, Texas, United States | March 17, 2013 | Details |
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March 16, 2013 | Sillymommy31 | Duval County, Florida, United States | March 17, 2013 | Details |
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March 09, 2013 | kmiller@medicallicensedirect.com | Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States | March 15, 2013 | Details |
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March 02, 2013 | Diane Warren | Texas, United States, Wood County | March 12, 2013 | Details |
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March 05, 2013 | Mrbean | Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States | March 10, 2013 | Details |
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March 07, 2013 | sunshine | Anderson County, Texas, United States | March 10, 2013 | Details |
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March 07, 2013 | sunshine | Anderson County, Texas, United States | March 10, 2013 | Details |
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March 10, 2013 | natalietrull | Brevard County, Florida, United States | March 10, 2013 | Details |
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February 24, 2013 | chiodos | Bay County, Florida, United States | March 03, 2013 | Details |
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March 28, 2012 | Ken Childs | Chester County, Tennessee, United States | February 17, 2013 | Details |
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January 29, 2013 | Veralynne Malone | Citrus County, Florida, United States | January 30, 2013 | Details |
| May 15, 2003 | curtis.lehman (Paul Dennehy) | Montour County, Pennsylvania, United States | January 25, 2013 | Details | |
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June 01, 2012 | Lula Field | Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States | January 17, 2013 | Details |
