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 169 - 192 of 3312 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 21, 2019
Submitted by: Annie25
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: LunaLove
Region: Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 23, 2021
Observation date: Aug 18, 2021
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Dec 19, 2021
Observation date: Aug 12, 2021
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: inthelikeness
Region: Comanche County, Texas, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2020
Submitted by: SMarieF99
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Oct 28, 2021
Observation date: Aug 22, 2018
Submitted by: SMarieF99
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 26, 2021
Submitted by: Les in Ohio
Region: Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 25, 2021
Observation date: Sep 06, 2020
Submitted by: Tvawter
Region: Herkimer County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 25, 2021
Observation date: Sep 03, 2021
Submitted by: getherington
Region: Putnam County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2021
Submitted by: Les in Ohio
Region: Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 23, 2021
Observation date: Aug 11, 2021
Submitted by: Les in Ohio
Region: Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 23, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2021
Submitted by: Corgi Girl
Region: Hanover County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 09, 2021
Observation date: Apr 09, 2021
Submitted by: mangagkakawatak
Region: Grady County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 24, 2021
Observation date: Sep 20, 2021
Submitted by: DebLehew
Region: Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 22, 2021
Observation date: Sep 09, 2021
Submitted by: Kitten5353
Region: Camden County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Sep 06, 2021
Submitted by: Kitten5353
Region: Camden County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 08, 2021
Observation date: Aug 27, 2021
Submitted by: Yelrow
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2020
Submitted by: monstermoose
Region: Montgomery County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: Sharon L
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 13, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: Poc
Region: Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 13, 2021
Observation date: May 05, 2021
Submitted by: robin.grotke@du...
Region: Duplin County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 12, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2021
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Newport News, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
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