Details
Actias luna
The luna moth is a large pale-green North American silk moth. Adults fly at night, and their long tails make them unmistakable.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in deciduous forests of the Nearctic. Caterpillars feed on leaves of trees such as walnut, birch, and maple.
Length 7-11 cm; weight 0.6 g-2.5 g. Pale green wings bear eyespots, and the hindwings extend into long tails. Adult mouthparts are reduced, so adults do not feed.
Nocturnal and solitary, adults spend a short life seeking mates. They may be attracted to artificial lights.
A herbivore, it feeds as a caterpillar on tree leaves. Adults live on stored energy and take no food.
Females call males at night with pheromones and lay eggs on leaves. Caterpillars spin cocoons, pupate, and emerge in season.
It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.
