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 49 - 72 of 3311 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: dahlia
Region: Meade County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 13, 2024
Observation date: Mar 26, 2020
Submitted by: rukeman
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: JOCHOLIK
Region: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 28, 2023
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2023
Submitted by: Cherylk
Region: Orleans County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Aug 23, 2023
Observation date: May 11, 2023
Submitted by: Tracey McDermid
Region: Van Buren County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: Aethelherring
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: SGulovsen
Region: Knox County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: BirdyBirdy
Region: Monroe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: RunPee
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 15, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 13, 2023
Observation date: Apr 06, 2023
Submitted by: WilKat
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 08, 2023
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 08, 2023
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: Pete_tenn
Region: Georgia, Troup County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 08, 2023
Observation date: Sep 13, 2013
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 06, 2023
Observation date: Apr 11, 2008
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Kcollin5
Region: Allen County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Kcollin5
Region: Allen County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jun 14, 2014
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 28, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2023
Submitted by: Smibster24
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 27, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
Observation date: Jul 22, 2023
Submitted by: SarahBurton
Region: Brown County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
Observation date: Jul 22, 2023
Submitted by: Fatcatness
Region: Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 22, 2023
Observation date: Jun 22, 2023
Submitted by: Smccarthy
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 22, 2023
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