South African Luna Moth
Hi:
We just came back from a trip to South Africa where we found this large luna moth on the wall of our lodge. It looks slightly different from its American cousins, but there is a family resemblence.
Diane & Mark
Hi Diane and Mark,
Your moth is surely Luna-like. This tailed Saturnid Moth is probably in a different genus than the Luna, but it is definitely in the same family. We might eventually have a species name.
Hi, I noticed the South African Luna Moth on your website and thought you would like to know it is Argema mimosae – commonly called either Luna Moth or Moon Moth. Kind regards
Aaron in London
Update: (03/15/2008) Moth identification
What’s That Bug: Giant Silk Moths The top picture on this page, “South African Luna(like) Moth,” dated 04/08/06, is of Argema mittrei, also known as the Comet moth or Madagascan Moon Moth. I came across a picture of it while searching for identification of another moth just prior to accessing your site. What a coincidence. I generally would not write this long after an entry was posted, but I found no other reference to this beautiful creature on whatsthatbug.com .
Michelle Gill
Hi Michelle,
We believe the moth in question looks more like Argema mimosae, and since Argema mittrei is found in Madagascar, and the moth in question was in South Africa, we believe the identification that Aaron in London provided long ago is the correct one. Thanks for bringing this to our attention and we have now provided links from our entry.
Luna
I thought you may want this picture. My sister found this Luna Moth caterpillar back in September. It was huge. It’s the best picture of its kind that I’ve seen.
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
We agree your photo is stunning. The coloration has changed from green to reddish and this is a sign that pupation is imminent.
Thank you so much. I am attaching 3pics of a Luna moth. hope you enjoy them – looking it up is what led me to your site (google). Again you are amazing, thanks
Kathy
Hi again Kathy,
Thanks for the follow-up letter, and it brings up an interesting possibility. Luna Moth Cocoons are nearly always found on the ground, but we have heard that sometimes they remain attached to trees. The Luna Cocoon looks very similar to the Polyphemus Cocoon. Perhaps, just maybe, your cocoon is a Luna Moth Cocoon.
help…
Your site is wonderful. We have just moved from Southern Calif to South Carolina and would like to learn the flora and fauna here in south. I photographed this cocoon and have been watching it closely but if I miss it I would sure like to know what I missed. Thanks,
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
If you happen to catch the metamorphosis, you will be in for quite a treat. This is a Polyphemus Moth Cocoon. We have images of the moths on our Giant Silkworm or Saturnid Moth page. Sometimes the cocoons are suspended from branches like your photo, and sometimes they are found in leaf litter on the ground.
another luna moth for your collection
I live in The Woodlands, Texas, just north of Houston. A few minutes ago I saw this guy flutter to the ground, presumably to catch some sun – we had some early warm temps, but it’s cooled down again! He seems to be a little battered around the edges, but a beautiful specimen nonetheless.
tristyn
Thanks for sending in your photo Tristyn.
Luna Moth
I’m attaching 2 photos of a beautiful Luna Moth that came to our window last evening. I was able to get a shot of the underside from inside the room. It did not look like you had posted any photos from that angle.
Enjoy.
Scott Broome
Thank you Scott.
Female imperial moth
Great website! A few years ago I came across this huge moth on the wall of a gas station along I-35. A bit raggedy, she is, but I thought the grey-blue wall of the store was a great contrast to her yellow!
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
We love your artful photo of an Imperial Moth.
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Posted 17 March 2006
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I found this thing on my backdoor, this thing was huge!
Sean
Apopka, FL.
Hi Sean,
We never tire of seeing photos of the Luna Moth.
what type of moth is this?
Robert
Hi Robert,
We are thrilled to post your image of a Luna Moth so early in the season. We get most images in May and June. This is one of our favorite insects and we have an entire page devoted to this beauty.
Thanks to you, I know this bug!
I was showing a friend your What’s That Bug site today. When I happened upon your Polyphemus photos on the moths pages, I remembered these photos that I took with my daughter several years ago. One summer afternoon, we found something wriggling frantically in the grass. It was good sized, about the size of a cocktail wiener, though a little shorter and a little fatter. My grass was long at the time, and the bug seemed to be having trouble, so we let it crawl onto a stick and transferred it onto the trunk of a nearby tree. It settled there and proceeded to pump up its wings, ending up as a gorgeous Polyphemus. Unfortunately, I didn’t time stamp the initial photos, but I think it took about 4-5 hours. When it was wriggling in the grass, the wings were little more than nubs on the body, but they ended up about 5 inches tip to tip. Thought you might enjoy the progression.
Todd
Hi Todd,
Thank you for the marvelous example of metamorphosis in action.
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Posted 03 March 2006
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Butterfly Porn
Hi bugfolks,
I recently visited a butterfly garden, and was shocked by the decidedly R-rated display of wantonness. Under every leaf, exhibitionist butterflies and moths were getting it on… It was possibly the best date of all times. Here are a few of my favorite voyeur shots for your Bug Love section, hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy your site!
Valerie
Hi Valerie,
Thank you for your fabulous letter and lascivious images. We are especially intrigued with your Atlas Moth orgy.
The exhibit butterflies are all hatched in the garden. For the Atlas moths, the cocoons are glued to ropes dangling from the ceiling in a dark little cave near a waterfall. The moths seem to like to cluster in that area, and many were pairing off right on top of their former husks.
Valerie
Please Identify
Bugman,
I found this butterfly or moth outside my house on an Azalea bush. It looks as if it had just emerged. I looked through your pages and countless other sources but could not identify it. Can you please help me. Thanks.
grem
Baton Rouge, LA
Dear Grem,
Thanks you for sending in the wonderful photo of Polyphemus Moths, Antheraea polyphemus. You are correct that they are newly emerged as these Giant Silkworm, or Saturnid Moths only live long enough to mate and lay eggs. The pheromones are working strongly to have brought this pair together.
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Posted 16 February 2006
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