Luna moth

A moth of moonlit colours

The luna moth is a large, unmistakable nocturnal moth belonging to the family of the saturniids, the group of the giant silk moths. Its broad wings are a delicate lime green, almost pastel, edged with pink or purple along the front margin. On each wing stands out an eyespot, a rounded mark resembling an eye. The hindwings extend into two long, thin, winding tails, giving it an elegant, almost fairytale appearance. Its wingspan can reach around ten centimetres.

Habitat and distribution

It is widespread across much of North America, where it inhabits woods and forests, preferring wooded, well-drained areas. It is a nocturnal moth: by day it rests motionless among the leaves, camouflaged by its green colour, while at night it becomes active and is strongly attracted to sources of light.

A fascinating life cycle

The adult's life is very short: the luna moth, once it emerges from the cocoon, has no functional mouthparts and cannot feed. It therefore lives only about a week, with the sole purpose of reproducing. All the energy it needs is accumulated during the caterpillar stage, a large and voracious green caterpillar that feeds on the leaves of various trees, such as walnut, birch and others. After pupating in a silk cocoon, the moth emerges transformed.

Curiosities

The long tails of the hindwings are not merely decorative: they are thought to serve to confuse the sonar of bats, one of the moth's main nocturnal predators, diverting the attack away from the body. For its ethereal beauty, the luna moth is much loved and popular: it has even appeared on stamps and book covers.