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.
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Posted 16 March 2006
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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.
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Posted 03 March 2006
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Luna Moth
I was so excited to see this beautiful moth on Manitoulin Island. As a child growing up, I used to raise (for lack of a better word) cecropia moths, much to my mother’s dismay since the caterpillars have voracious appetites and make short work of the tree they develop in. You can immagine my excitement when I saw this huge beauty just sitting on a door frame more than happy to pose for the camera. I have included a close-up of the head and shoulder area that nicely picks up the detail of the hairs and feathery antanae. I had never seen one of these before and later found out it was a Luna moth. I also found out that they are not common in Ontario. Fortunately for me, they are plentiful on Manitoulin Island, according to the locals. Hopefully they will continue to thrive on this Island for future generations to enjoy
Nadjia
Hi Nadjia,
Thanks for the touching letter..
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Posted 19 November 2005
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Luna Moth
My son took this picture of a Luna Moth while he was filling out his wings. It is special because of the detail and color of it’s furry body and legs. We have others and I can re-size it for your website, but thought you’d appreciate the full detail. Note also his antennae detail. Marc
Hi Marc,
Your Luna Moth headshot is a welcome addition to our site. It is a view that we have not yet seen.
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Posted 15 August 2005
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Ghost Moth
Hello Bugman,
I wish I could say I was a bug girl, but I just can’t figure out what this peculiar bug is. I am assuming it is a moth, but am unsure of what type. We have seen a few of these in the past 2 years and a couple of “hummingbird moths”. The hummingbird moths tend to catch me off guard and I do scream quite loud (tend to be about three fourths (3/4) the size of a dollar bill.) I reside in Maryland ( Ellicott City area), and have been stumbling upon a lot of strange critters. I hope you can help, and if so I may have another picture to send you. It is of a black caterpillar with gray/white fur all over it. Reminds me a bit of a baby chimpanzees finger(s) with medium white hair all over it. We found about 200 + on our patio when we came home from work 4 days ago (28 July 05). I gathered them up in a few cans freaking out because they were trying to borrow in the ground and my dog’s fury bed. I have 3 caterpillars in a jar with dirt now. As soon as I put them in there they played possum for about a minute, and then immediately dug into the soil. One of them actually has his back facing one side of the jar. I see him wiggle around every once in a while. I will truly try and get a picture for you. I am very curious to see what they become. I have yet to find any info on the net that I feel is a definitive answer to what we were/are dealing with. All I can say is that the closest characteristics out there (personality and looks) is the Walnut Caterpillar. I am not sure if they would be in Maryland though. Hope you have some insight to my many curious questions, and I will keep you posted on my little science project in a jar. Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Rhiannon
Hi Rhiannon,
Your mystery moth is a Luna Moth and it can currently be seen starring in a television commercial for a sleep aid called Lunesta. We look forward to hearing more about your caterpillars when they develop.
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Posted 02 August 2005
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Hello
i found your site while researching this wonderful wing insect i found attached to the door….I recently moved from the Missouri to Nova Scotia Canada. I am amazed every day with the beautiful, birds, insects, and plant life. i first saw The Luna Moth a week or 2 ago during the full moon. I squeeked like a lil girl at first when i saw it due to the size my mother in law was soooo happy to see it i had to find out more about the luna moth. We have now had 3 here in the last week . I took a couple pics of this beautiful female i believe thanks for all the great info listed on your site
thanks
Doffy&Jill
Hi Doffy and Jill,
Your letter is so genuine it touches us. Thanks for adding to our archive as well.
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Posted 08 July 2005
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luna moth
I live in Dutchess County, NY, and today I spotted my first Luna Moth (a male), hanging out on my screen door. I tried to relocate it to a nearby tree, but it wanted none of that. In fact, when I approached it with my camera, it got so scared it started shaking. Nonetheless, I managed a few pictures of it anyway, albeit with my cameraphone, and thought I’d share them with you since I just discovered your wonderful site. I should start one for birds, although it’d be far less challenging!
Liz
P.S. There are two images in this zip file: one is of the moth on the woodchips under the bush and the other is when it was on the concrete step in front of my door.
Hi Liz,
Thanks for the photo.
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Posted 16 June 2005
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luna moth pic
love your website! I thought I would send you a picture of our lovely luna moth we found this morning hanging on the edge of a hosta leaf. The color of the moth and hosta matched so perfectly we wondered if it was more than coincidence that he chose to land there?
David & Patricia
Raleigh, NC
Hi David and Patricia,
I must say I feel a twinge of jealousy whenever we receive a new photo of a Luna Moth, and yours was the second today. The backlighting in your photo really reveals the delicate beauty of America’s most beautiful moth. Growing up in Ohio, I never ever saw a living one. Now that I am in California, there is no chance unless I happen to holiday back east when they are flying. Thank you for you kind words.
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Posted 12 June 2005
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Large green moth in GA
This moth visited my back deck on a warm rainy night this June 11, 2005. One pair if "eyes" on the wings is clearly visible in the photo; there is another pair on the secondary wings, and you can just make them out through the top wings. There appears to be damage to the covered wings in the photo. Is this a type of Satellite Sphinx moth?
Thanks
Mike Duffy
Hi Mike,
Your moth is a Luna Moth, perhaps the lovliest North American Moth.
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Posted 12 June 2005
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not sure what kind of bug this is(pic enclosed)
I Live in Charlotte, NC and last night (5/09/05) my wife heard a thump outside our bedroom window, I looked and saw what appeared to be a bat, this was about 10"ish. This morning we noticed it was still out on the wall so I took some pictures. Enclosed find a picture, this was taken about twenty feet away from the insect. I asked a few people down here and no one knows what this bug is. It is freaken huge for a bug.
George Doscher
Hi George,
While 10 inches is a gross exageration, Luna Moths, what many consider the most beautiful native insect, can grow to almost 6 inches across. Thanks for the image. There is a new television commercial for a sleep aid that features the Luna Moth.
Thanks Dan,
Been looking it up now thru usgs web site, a friend called me and stated that he had one on his screen and it freaked him out….. as well…. I have been living here for like five years never seen them before…asked a few people here and no one knew what it was. By the by you have a cool web site…
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Posted 10 May 2005
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luna moth pics
hi,
i love the site.
i thought i’d send you a couple of great pictures of a luna moth that came to visit us a few years ago in the laurentian mountains about an hour’ drive north of montreal, canada. he/she had teh eyes of shiva on her back and stared deep down into our souls…. we found the answers there. somebody may have put something in the kool-aid though
keep it up….
michael bailey
Thanks so much Michael.
We always like getting Luna Moth photos.
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Posted 06 April 2005
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What kind is it?
I have found a butterfly looking bug that my father says he has not seen since he was a kid, i will included a pic of the bug so you may identify it and i would like to get a responce soon, Thank You
Thank you for sending in a new photo of the Luna Moth, Actias luna. Many people consider it the most beautiful North American moth.
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Posted 13 March 2005
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