Luna Moth
Mon, May 25, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Hello, This morning 5.25.09 I was making my bed and opened my blinds that shows out to our front deck when I did I saw a bug that looked like a leaf.. so i took a picture and did some research and turns out it was the Canadian Luna Moth… I live in Maryland, does anyone know if it is common to see them here?? And this white moth was close by to it, is it a baby?? or a different moth.
Ashley A
Maryland

Luna Moth

Dear Ashley,
Luna Moths range over much of eastern North America, from Florida to Canada, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma.  They are quite common in some parts of their range, and quite scarce in others.  Maryland is part of the range, but as to whether they are common in your area is a matter that must be verified by local statistics.  Luna Moths reach their adult size after emerging from the cocoon and expanding their wings.  They do not grow as adults.  The growth is accomplished during the caterpillar stage.  The white moth is not a baby Luna Moth.

Beautiful leaf looking bug
Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Dear bugman,
I have just moved to North Georgia from Omaha, Nebraska, and I am very excited to explore and find new insects that I have never seen before. My first new discovery is of this beautiful leaf looking bud. I am thinking it is some sort of moth but not sure? Any help in identifying this amazing insect would be much appreciated. Thank you for this awesome site that you provide!
Diana
North Georgia

Luna Moth

Hi Diana,
Congratulations on your Luna Moth sighting. This male is a lovely specimen. As warmer spring weather begins to move to the northern latitudes, we will be expecting our Luna Moth reports to be coming from further north as well. The Luna Moth’s range is the eastern U.S. and Canada. By mid May, we should be getting reports from Maine.

NEWBORN LUNA MOTH – IT’S A BOY !
Sat, Jan 24, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Hello!
These are just a few pictures I took of the numerous Luna moths I raised!
My daughter and husband found a “white butterfly” on the outside doorjamb in the morning when they left for school/work. She mentioned that the ‘butterfly’ was still there when they came home that evening. It was then that I HAD to go look – I don’t know of a ‘white butterfly’ that would have received THAT much attention from my daughter. I gasped, “It’s a LUNA MOTH!” I was stumbling thru my words as I tried to explain how few people even get to SEE a REAL Luna! I noticed she was laying eggs on the woodwork and she was exhausted, hence the pale coloring. I carefully placed her on a Sweet Gum leaf that was attached to a branch (in a small cup of water) and let her lay the rest of her eggs in peace. Within 3 days she had passed away and I was now a “grandMOTHer” expecting zillions of babies! It was an exciting process keeping the leaves alive and fresh for the emerging little ‘kits.’ (I know, officially it’s not the correct term, but since I was soon going to have CATerpilla rs running around, KITTENS naturally come first!) I made several trips outside, picking leaves off the trees in our yard, each day. They grew so FAT, so quickly that I HAD to name most of them GARFIELD. I might also mention that this happened LAST YR when North Carolina was experiencing a severe DROUGHT! The neighbors probably thought I was nutz! (And we just moved in THAT summer!) Next thing, I was outside collecting ‘leaf litter’ so they could make their cocoons. All this was done in my ‘quilt room’ in plastic tubs of different sizes because the CATS were in different phases of growth. When things FINALLY settled down and everyone was snug and quiet, I went outside again to collect branches and nailed them to the walls in the room. (Now everyone KNEW I was nutz!) I carefully attached tiny wires to the stems of the leaves used to make the cocoons and hung them on the branches. I know in the wild, the cocoons would be hidden in leaf litter. When the moths emerged they woul d need a safe place to expand their wings to dry, so I hung them on the branches. And then I waited….and waited….and waited…
One day I walked into the room and I saw my FIRST MOTH clinging to her branch! Now I was a REAL GRANDMOTHER and things were going to get hectic again!

Luna Moth Metamorphosis

In the first picture you can see an emerging moth; the 2nd picture shows the same moth several minutes later with her wings slightly larger. Gnomes were watching closely the entire time and I managed to take a picture of one before he ran off! The last picture shows another moth drying his wings on his cocoon. By this time I made up several ribbons announcing which moths were “boys” or “girls.” I placed the ‘teenagers’ in a mesh laundry bag to rest and fully dry their wings before I released them the following day. Well, one morning I woke to find 1 of the 2 ‘teen dudes’ mating with the ‘teen girl,’ I knew I shouldn’t have left them alone I know they have a very short lifespan and most of the females were already pregnant when they were released. Our neighborhood adjoins a park and groups of 2-4 moths were released eit her in my neighborhood or the nearby park every couple of nights. Just their ‘baby cocoons’ and ribbons remain. And the room is quiet again….
…and I’m waiting!
Cathy- a proud grandMOTHer “Who wants to see pictures?”
Cathryn B.
Matthews, North Carolina

Luna Moth Metamorphosis

Hi Cathy,
This is just about the most charming letter we have ever received, or at least that we have received in a long time. You are our kind of kook. What a wonderful lesson in metamorphosis you have provided for your daughter. Since we are currently putting together some initial materials for a book we are going to attempt to write, and our agent has suggested the “moth chapter” as something that will interest the publishers, we are taking a cue from your letter to include a section on raising caterpillars. Thanks so much for your wonderful letter and accompanying photos. This is the first Luna Moth of 2009 for our site, and we expect to be getting many photos from the southern portions of the Luna Moth range in the next two months. Luna Moth sightings from Maine don’t generally occur until May. We are greatly amused that your quilting room has become a multipurpose hobby room for the raising of caterpillars, and we hope a Luna Moth inspired quilt is on the horizon.

Luna Moth

Moth???
Wed, Oct 15, 2008 at 5:52 AM
Dear Bugmen,
I was in the yard the other day and noticed this large green moth hanging from the bottom of my house. I have never seen anything like this before and was wondering if you could help me identify it? I believe it is some type of moth. I think the pattern is really beautiful. Thank you:)
S. Peters
Port orange, Florida

Luna Moth

Dear S.,
This beauty is a Luna Moth.  We have received so many photos over the years that we have devoted an entire section to this species.  The Luna Moth is one of the Giant Silk Moths.  This group does not eat as adults, living only to mate.