What is it? It’s gorgeous!!!
Hi,
Last year I sent a pic of a Giant Inchneunom that you really liked and added to you website. Here’s anew one of a bug we don’t ecognize. Please advise Thanks,
ian

Hi Ian,
This is a Luna Moth. It is a striking insect that cannot be easily confused with any other North American species. If you had scrolled to the bottom of our homepage, you would have gotten your answer.

Hi bugman!
I found this one hanging on my screen door around midnight tonight. I’m in SE Ohio, and all i normally see are the plain ones, so I was pretty curious! Stumbled onto your website, so I thought i’d ask
Karrie

Hi Karrie,
If you had scrolled down our homepage a bit, you would have found that the Luna Moth was our featured Bug of the Month for April 2007.

Luna Moth
Took a pic of this Luna Moth on February 27, 2007, just north of Houston, Tx
Lynne

Hi Lynne,
This is the first official Luna Moth photo we have received this year, and it is a gorgeous photo.

Ed. Note: (04/01/2007)
We have been receiving countless letters and images of Luna Moths from the Southern part of their range beginning in February and increasing in March. We suspect it is not too late to make the Luna Moth the Bug of the Month for April since the northern specimens will begin to emerge as springtime weather hits the north. These emergences should continue through May and June for the most northern specimens in Maine and Canada. Luna Moths overwinter in cocoons formed around leaves from the deciduous trees that they feed upon. These cocoons usually drop to the ground where they remain among the leaf litter. The warm spring sun stimulates the metamorphosis of the adult. Adults live only a few days and do not feed. They mate, lay eggs and die if they do not become a food source for birds and other predators first. The caterpillars spend the summer fattening up on leaves before pupating. There are two generations in the southern portion of the range..

big pupa
Hi there?
Got any ideas about the identity of this pupa? I found it on the ground outside of my house in mid coast Maine on March 31st. It’s alive, that is, when I move it, it scratches around inside and actually will roll across the table top like a Mexican Jumping Bean. The husk is papery and there are tiny pin holes all through it, like breathing holes. It feels quite heavy and as you can see, is almost 2 inches long. That’s a big pupa for Maine where most stuff is pretty small in the insect world. I’ve been a gardener for 25 years and have never seen anything like it. I didn’t find anything in my garden insect references. Thanks in advance for your time,
Robin Robinson

Hi Robin,
If you don’t want this Luna Moth Cocoon to hatch too early, you need to keep it outside. If you have an old birdcage, that would be perfect. You should check daily to see if it has hatched. In Maine, we get most of our Luna Moth photos in May. Right now, we are getting photos from the Southern portion of the range, including Louisiana and Georgia. The Luna Moth is our featured Bug of the Month for April.

Luna Moth
Hello,
Thought that I would add another addition to your Luna Moth page. My husband and I were so excited to see this one at our vacation home at Toledo Bend, south of Many, Louisiana. I startled him a little with my flash, but it was in the evening of March 24th and I had to turn the flash on to see him properly. Such a shame that their life span is so short but I feel blessed that I was able to see one. Thank you for your informative site!
Shelley

Hi Shelley,
Judging by the volume of Luna Moth images and letter we have received in March, we should have made the Luna Moth the Bug of the Month. Thanks for your contribution.

Cocoon Hatched Today! It was a Luna Moth!
My 9 year old granddaughter found a cocoon out in the yard last week and we brought it inside. I placed it on my kitchen counter and forgot all about it. It has now been two weeks and guess what I found on my kitchen blinds whenI arrived home today? You guess it, this male beauty! He is a very large as you can tell from the photo of it on my hand. When I went to search what the Luna Moth eats I came across your website. I did not want to put it outside in our 30 degree nights as was afraid it would freeze and did not want it to die. I was very disappointed to read they don’t have a mouth as they don’t eat and only live for a few days after they hatch… such a shame. I was even more unset that the walnut tree I had cut down is one of the places where these moths lay their eggs! Please feel free to use any of the photos if you want to add anymore to your wonderful website. Thank you for all the information you have posted for us to learn about these beautiful moths. MS. DARNELL MOONDA FUGATE
Macon, Georgia

Dear Ms. Fugate,
Thank you for sending us your wonderful story and beautiful photos.