Subject: Please ID This Insect
Location: Arlington, VA 22204
May 17, 2013 11:05 am
We found a Luna Moth is Arlington, VA 20850 on May 17, 2013.
This insect, thought to be just a leaf at first, was seen on May 17, 2013 in Arlington, VA adjacent to Washington, DC. It was lying on a parking lot floor which is open to the surrounding area. This is an urban area of businesse and residences. Reasonable density of trees, bushes.
It was alive when the attached picture was taken. The wingspan is about 4-5 inches.
Light green in color, obvious antenae upon close inspection. Large spots positioned symetrically on the wings look like eyes. Probably great example of use of both camouflage and threatening appearance at the same time.
Signature: Harold Cypress

Luna Moth

Hi Harold,
Thanks for sending us your photo of this lovely Luna Moth.  It is nice to know they are found in urban Arlington.

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Subject: Moth or butterfly?
Location: Rhome, Texas
April 26, 2013 2:10 pm
We found this little thing in the garage resting this morning and just curious what it is because we haven’t ever seen these out here… Thanks
Signature: C. Draper

Luna Moth

Dear C. Draper,
It is unlikely that any other North American insect will be confused with a Luna Moth.  This is a lovely male Luna Moth, distinguished from the female by his more feathery antennae.  Luna Moths do not feed as adults, living only long enough to mate and lay eggs.  Luna Moths are found in the eastern portion of North America and you are probably near the western most extent of the range.

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Subject: Biggest flying bug I’ve seen
Location: West Virginia
April 17, 2013 11:31 pm
I was standing outside enjoying the night when this big guy started flying around me. It has green wings and very large
Signature: CS

Luna Moth

Dear CS,
No other North American insect can be confused with a Luna Moth, though the Luna Moth does have similar looking relatives in other parts of the world, like this individual from the same genus in China.  The appearance of the Luna Moth should be a better indicator that spring is coming than the Groundhog was this year.

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Subject: Chinese Moth
Location: Suzhou, China
April 14, 2013 8:42 pm
Hi Bugman !
We found this beautiful moth in Suzhou, China at a Skateboard park and would love to have it identified. Size is not easy to see from the photograph but wingspan was approximately 12cm.
Thanks for your help !!
Signature: Duncan

Actias felicis, we believe

Hi Duncan,
We are rushing to post this and we are not certain if we have the correct species.  This moth looks very much like the North American Luna Moth and we are guessing they belong to the same genus, Actias.  Kirby Wolfe’s website lists two species in the genus in China, and this looks like Actias felicis.

Hello Daniel,
Thanks very much for your fast reply – my children were very excited to find this moth and it’s great to be able to tell them exactly what it is!!  All the best and keep up the good work with the site. Best Regards

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Subject: Luna Moth
Location: Smyrna, Tennessee
March 3, 2013 9:27 pm
Hello Bugman,
I stumbled across your site and LOVE it!! In my garage in April 2008, I saw a beautiful moth and just had to take a photo (well several photos actually) because of how stunning it was. I had never seen one like it before. I have since identified it as a Luna Moth, however I am unsure of the sex or how you can tell the sex, if you could possibly clarify that for me I’d be grateful. After reading a bit on your site, I learned that it was in it’s final life stage at the time I saw it in my garage. I am hoping it was able to find a mate and reproduce as it was such a beautiful specimen! I am sending in one photo in particular because of how clear the photo turned out, and it is a fairly close photo too, you can see a lot of detail on the wings. I hope you can share the photo on your site as an aid in identification for other people. I am one of those who catch spiders in the house, or wherever, and release them back outdoors, much to my husband’s dism ay! Thank you for your site! I can see it being a big help in the future as I am always trying to figure out what this is or what that was .
Signature: Elizabeth

Luna Moth

Hi Elizabeth,
We are thrilled to hear how you are enjoying our site.  We just reported our first Luna Moth of 2013 last week, and we expect to begin posting new photos on a regular basis as winter transitions to spring.  This is a male Luna Moth and you can recognize that because of his antennae.  Male Giant Silkmoths have more developed antennae than females because they locate females through the pheromones they release.  Here is an image of a female Luna Moth from our archives for comparison.

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Subject: Luna Moth
Location: Houston Tx
February 26, 2013 2:58 pm
Here is what I think is the first sighting of this moth this year Houston, TX 2/26/2013
Signature: in blood

Luna Moth

Dear in blood,
Thank you for sending in a photo of our first reported Luna Moth sighting for 2013.  We always look forward to the beginning of Luna Moth season each year, beginning with the Southern states, generally in February, and moving north until the first sightings from Maine and Canada, usually in late May or early June.

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Subject: Luna moth
Location: Ypsilanti Michigan
February 17, 2013 1:28 pm
Just wanted to share this bc I think they are beautiful and only ever seen this one in real life. Taken in June 2010 I believe )
Signature: Rachel R

Luna Moth

Hi Rachel,
We were excited to see your subject line because we generally get our first reported sightings of Luna Moths in the southern portion of their range in February, and sometimes as early as January, but we have yet to receive a photo from a 2013 sighting this year.

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Subject: Green leaf colored and shaped ”Moth”
Location: Houston, TX
September 29, 2012 5:39 pm
I saw this ”Moth” clinging to the top of a chain linked fence at a place where I shop. I thought it was a green leaf, until it flapped it’s wings. The edges were browned and it had a long and wide greenish tail. It’s belly was white. I am familiar with a few moths, but have never seen one like this. Can you tell me what it was I had seen?
Signature: Very Curious in Houston

Luna Moth

Dear Very Curious in Houston,
This is a female Luna Moth.  Hopefully she has mated and can find a place to lay her eggs.

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