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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths (Saturniidae) » Silkmoths (Saturniinae) » Saturniini » Actias » Luna Moth - Hodges#7758 (Actias luna)

Species Actias luna - Luna Moth - Hodges#7758

Classification · Hodges Number · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Luna Moth - Actias luna - male Luna Moth - Actias luna - male Actias luna - male Luna Moth - Actias luna Luna Moth Caterpillar - Actias luna Third-instar larva - Actias luna
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)
Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
Subfamily Saturniinae (Silkmoths)
Tribe Saturniini
Genus Actias
Species luna (Luna Moth - Hodges#7758)
Hodges Number
7758
Explanation of Names
Actias luna (Linnaeus, 1758)
luna - Latin for "moon"
Size
7.5 - 10.5 cm wingspan
Identification
The hindwings have long curving tails. The wings are pale green, each with a transparent eyespot.
Pink or brown on outer margin in southen spring brood; yellow in northern and other southern broods. (1)
  

Larva lime-green with pink spots and weak subspiracular stripe on abdomen. Yellow lines cross the larva's back near the back end of each segment (compare Polyphemus moth caterpillars, which have yellow lines crossing at spiracles). Anal proleg edged in yellow.(2) Sparse hairs.
  
Range
e. N. Amer. - Map (MPG)
Habitat
Deciduous hardwood forests
Season
One brood in the north, May-July. Three broods in the south, March-September. (1)
Food
Adult Luna moths do not eat; their only objective is to reproduce.
The caterpillars eat a variety of trees including white birch (Betula papyrifera), persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), hickories (Carya), walnuts (Juglans), pecans, and sumacs (Rhus).
Life Cycle
The adults have a life span of only about one week.
Coccoons are concealed in leaf litter. (1)
Life cycle images:
eggs; early instar larvae; older larvae; prepupal larva; pupa; cocoon; newly emerged adult; adult male
See Also
Larvae of Polyphemus Moth are similar but lack subspiracular stripe and have diagonal lines crossing at spiracles.
Print References
Covell, p. 49, plate 1, #6, plate 2, #4, and plate 9, #8 (1)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - MPG
Butterflies and Moths of North America - BAMONA
Animal Diversity Web
Works Cited
1.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
2.Caterpillars of Eastern North America
David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Mike Boone, cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Chris Wirth, anitagould, Chuck Entz, Mike Quinn, Jason D. Roberts, marcie oconnor, Tyler Hedlund
Last updated 10 August, 2021 - 2:52pm

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