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 25 - 48 of 3311 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 09, 2024
Submitted by: Moth_Observer01
Region: Nelson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 01, 2024
Observation date: May 21, 2024
Submitted by: Les in Ohio
Region: Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 17, 2024
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
Observation date: Jun 19, 2024
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
Observation date: Jun 15, 2024
Submitted by: WMarshall
Region: Floyd County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 16, 2024
Observation date: Jun 09, 2024
Submitted by: edesbiens
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
Observation date: Jun 09, 2024
Submitted by: edesbiens
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
Observation date: Apr 20, 2024
Submitted by: QueenC
Region: Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 09, 2024
Observation date: May 26, 2024
Submitted by: dnight30
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: Jun 03, 2024
Submitted by: Lhouser97
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: May 31, 2024
Submitted by: Kayleighmac
Region: Belmont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 01, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: Mamak759
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 25, 2024
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 21, 2024
Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: jafreese
Region: Benton County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 15, 2024
Observation date: May 07, 2024
Submitted by: Les in Ohio
Region: Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2024
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 06, 2024
Observation date: Apr 27, 2024
Submitted by: Alienj
Region: Boone County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 28, 2024
Observation date: Oct 02, 2023
Submitted by: Lavishbmd
Region: Franklin County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Mar 29, 2024
Submitted by: gonectry
Region: Fannin County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Apr 02, 2024
Observation date: Mar 05, 2024
Submitted by: Candledrawn
Region: Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2024
Observation date: Mar 07, 2024
Submitted by: amtz441
Region: Texas, Montgomery County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2024
Observation date: May 22, 2016
Submitted by: SJ4
Region: Fountain County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Mar 13, 2024
Submitted by: Mia.moth
Region: Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Mar 13, 2024
Observation date: Mar 08, 2024
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 09, 2024
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