Luna Moth, a large green moth - Actias luna

Don't like bugs but this is pretty...

Saw this this morning at about 4 am in Granger Iowa on July 29 2015, two days away from the July 31st blue moon. Never seen one before and was asking some friends what the heck it was but started looking up large moths (was impatient to know what it was lol). Now knowing not only what it is and the fact that they are on the endangered list makes me glad I didn't chase it away.

… Cddrennen, 29 July, 2015 - 4:41am

Luna Moth

I saw June 5, 2015 at night what I thought what was a white bat flying around my flood lights! LOL!

This morning I saw my new friend, a beautiful Luna Moth, in Harwinton, Connecticut! What a wonderful gift on a Sunday morning!

… Alexandrea, 7 June, 2015 - 8:59am

I saw one today

I live in Cental Minnesota and I was going to transplant some flowers and I saw my first Luna Moth on the foundation of my house. I'm so thrilled to see him! What a treat!!!

… Kathy C., 16 May, 2015 - 6:44pm

Kids found one!

Stuck in the netting around a fence. We cut the netting and set it free. Hung out on the ground and seemed to have trouble flying away. I hope it flew away after we went away and left it alone. It was gone this morning. I am so glad the kids had the experience of seeing one and taking pictures. We're in IL just over border from NE Indiana. Ours didn't have the dark red markings on the edge of the wings, perhaps it was very young or they were really faint?

… kathyhkay, 29 May, 2014 - 4:26pm

A First for Me

I saw one of these yesterday outside my office in Charleston, SC. I've never seen anything like it. I only wish I'd been quick enough to take a picture so my co-workers wouldn't have thought I'd lost my mind when I was trying to explain it to them.

… connorco, 21 June, 2014 - 1:50pm

Saw this yesterday...

Saw the pale Luna moth a couple of days ago in my yard, thought it was dead, but it started quivering when I touched it, and then it flew away and circled back. I took a movie of it. Wonderful!!

This morning, my husband saw a darker green one by our patio.

If I could figure out how to embed the video, I'd do it. Spectacular moment. Fitting after the rare meteor shower last night.

N.
West Des Moines, Iowa

… NanFan, 24 May, 2014 - 12:30pm

Hi NanFan

The best thing to do with the video is to post it to youtube and then place a link in a comment here.

… Lynette Elliott, 26 May, 2014 - 9:18am

Found one on our porch this m

Found one on our porch this morning. It was flopping around on the ground for a little while before it finally flew away. Had never seen one before.

Bob
Crossville, TN

… preacherbob, 3 August, 2013 - 8:13pm

I am in Tampa, Florida and ju

I am in Tampa, Florida and just saw my first Luna Moth! I have never seen anything other than large brown ones. The lenght is 9cm and wing across almost 11cm.(not extended) He is attracted to our Hornet Spray can and won't leave. LOL! He is beautiful and yellow. My son says because he is not out in the sun. I will post pics as soon as I figure out how to upload them on this site. Are these common in Florida? I will have to read up on moths. This is fun! When I post it, you will see it on the hornet spray can

… dottietampa, 1 May, 2011 - 8:27pm

Luna Moth found in Fujian China

we found a luna moth the day before yesterday in the evening when we were back home on bikes when it attracted to a highway greenery bed. my daughter a bachelor of english liguistic was surprised by the beauty of it and carefully picked it home with a safe film pack and let it lay eggs comfortably around some green leaves. alas it soon died off to day in morn and it is mornful to us all. my wife and daughter want to put the eggs (roughly 50 in all) in the forest near our home town fuqing in haikou southern hills hoping they can hatch and grow new moths. pray for them as the species registered in endangered list.
Luna Moths are members of the Saturniidae family, also known as the "Giant Silkworm Moths."

Luna Moths are huge moths, with a wingspan of four and a half inches. They have a white body, pinkish legs, and huge pale green wings. The hindwings have eyespots and long tails.

They fly, only at night, in Spring and early Summer.

The female Luna Moth lays eggs on the bottom of Black Walnut leaves. She lays about 200 eggs in small groups.

Once the eggs are laid, it takes about 10 days for them to hatch. Caterpillars begin eating as soon as they leave the egg.

They eat leaves from many different trees and shrubs, including: Sweetgum, American Beech, Red Maple, hickories, White Oak, Black Cherry, willows, American Chestnut, and Smooth Sumac.

… kexihan, 8 July, 2011 - 8:01pm

actias in china

i used to teach in anhui hefei. the university was spread around a lake called hubing tang (measuring soldiers pond). around the edges of the pond were lots of willow trees and most of the trees had a few huge green caterpillars growing on them. i would take branches home and raise them. in the spring luna-like moths emerged. from google images i believe they are actias ningboana or ningpoana. the shape of the wings is different from the luna but the gorgeous green color is the same. also our lunas eat walnut with relish haha but i've never seen them on willow. i'm glad you had the experience of seeing them. lunas are easy to raise. you can either buy cocoons or eggs. i had a great throughput a couple of summers ago.

… Martha O'Kennon, 10 October, 2014 - 8:34pm

Luna Moth

I work for a school system in Avon, Indiana (West of Indianapolis) and today around noon I looked out the window and saw this huge green moth on the window screen. I had my camera with me and took three pictures that were close to the moth. How beautiful she was and large. I went on the Internet to see what type of moth I had pictures of. Now knowing that it was a Luna Moth and that the moth is on the endanger list and only lives for one week. I feel like I had a great privilege seeing this wonderful moth up close.
5/24/11

… slhuddleson, 24 May, 2011 - 11:42am

endangered list

Though this moth may be rarely seen, I don't think it's on the endangered list.

… Lynette Elliott, 24 May, 2011 - 3:18pm

luna moth

woww what an experience jst saw my very first on the ground this morn! saved it and thought to put it back in the wild yet now i see it has no tail and i knew the wings were bent, now what to do with it
i put it in the shade on a garden phlox hope it will be ok! email me if you know what i can do with this moth. thanks

… g, 24 May, 2010 - 3:31pm

Luna Moth

Just found a luna moth this morning on a white post at the front of my house in Killaloe Ontario Canada...absolutely awesome...largest moth I have ever seen...

… Judester, 11 June, 2010 - 1:11pm

Luna Moth

My husband saw a luna moth last month and took a few pix of it, otherwise I'm sure I wouldn't have believed his description of it, especially the size! We had no idea what it was so the BugGuide was a huge help. We're in Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia, Canada, just outside of Halifax (east coast) and had never seen anything like it before. Ahhhhh, nature at its finest!

… Joanne P, 29 July, 2010 - 7:54pm

I agree

when you see one for the first time it is an amazing sight!

… Lynette Elliott, 30 July, 2010 - 9:15am

luna moth

June 16,2009 saw my first Luna Moth since I was a kid 50 years ago. First seen in Balls Falls,Ontario now in Orillia,Ontario. On neighbour's garage and was able to identify for him. Once built a model of one for the Beamsville Fair and I still remembered.

… artistic, 17 June, 2009 - 8:08pm

Cool!

Yes, this moth always brings me a moment of happiness when I see one. Unfortunately, I am now living out of its range. Once you see one, you'll never forget.

… Lynette Elliott, 17 June, 2009 - 11:06pm

Luna Moth

Hi today is June 10/09 and when i came home here in Cutler Ontario Canada this moth was on my door. what surprized me was when i took a picture and showed it around know one could tell me what it was. Every year at this time i have one on my door. I looked it up on the computer and found the luna here. Can anyone tell me if this is just a stop on the way? And where do they go it says here there from North Carolina USA?
thanks for your help Laura

… laurajones, 10 June, 2009 - 3:44pm

Range

I'm not sure about in Canada, but ...
In the United States this species has been found in every state east of the Great Plains

… Lynette Elliott, 10 June, 2009 - 4:20pm

Luna Moth

I live in Perth Ontario. Last summer, 2012, sometime between July and August, not sure of the exact date, I saw a Luna Moth sunbathing on a concrete column at the local mall. This was early morning with an eastern exposure, about 7am, EST. I was getting my morning Subway and dragged the 3 staff outside to see this beauty. It was a first for all of us but a second sighting for me in this town in the last 3 years. Two years prior I startled another very large multi colored moth hiding in the afternoon shade of a wood pile at the Lumber yard. This green one was easily 4inches from tip to tip if not more. I have a picture, hard copy, but no way to send it online.

… Armin, 14 February, 2013 - 11:18am

Yes, they are amazing to see

If you want to share your picture with us you can always take a digital picture of your picture.

… Lynette Elliott, 14 February, 2013 - 3:53pm

Luna Moth

That's an excellent idea and that's what I'll do, thank you.

… Armin, 14 February, 2013 - 4:08pm