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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 3368 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 30, 2025
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Berrien County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 18, 2025
Observation date: Sep 24, 2025
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 03, 2025
Observation date: Apr 22, 2016
Submitted by: Jay Jeffrey
Region: Pottawatomie County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 19, 2020
Submitted by: Jay Jeffrey
Region: Pottawatomie County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2025
Submitted by: snharmann
Region: Racine County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 21, 2025
Observation date: Jun 18, 2025
Submitted by: saturniidluvr
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 21, 2025
Observation date: Aug 05, 2024
Submitted by: Jay Jeffrey
Region: Pottawatomie County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 19, 2025
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: Petrolfox
Region: Madison County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 04, 2025
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: Petrolfox
Region: Madison County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 04, 2025
Observation date: Oct 01, 2025
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Marc Epstein)
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 04, 2025
Observation date: Sep 14, 2025
Submitted by: Hgwatson01
Region: Clarke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 29, 2025
Observation date: Apr 29, 2023
Submitted by: beverlynantz
Region: Bell County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 15, 2025
Observation date: Apr 05, 2025
Submitted by: Bully1967
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2025
Observation date: Feb 26, 2023
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Warren County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 06, 2025
Submitted by: Hiraeth
Region: Madison County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2025
Observation date: May 19, 2025
Submitted by: Michele Pollock
Region: Brown County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 14, 2025
Submitted by: MadamePapillon
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Aug 30, 2025
Observation date: May 25, 2022
Submitted by: Aurelia Arcana
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2025
Observation date: Aug 01, 2023
Submitted by: Aurelia Arcana
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2025
Observation date: Apr 22, 2024
Submitted by: Aurelia Arcana
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2025
Observation date: Aug 22, 2025
Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt
Region: York County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 25, 2025
Observation date: Aug 23, 2025
Submitted by: Les in Ohio
Region: Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 25, 2025
Observation date: Jul 30, 2025
Submitted by: pipher_rowan
Region: Calvert County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 08, 2025
Submitted by: pipher_rowan
Region: Calvert County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 24, 2025
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