Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lovely Luna moths
Have you ever seen a Luna moth? They aren’t nt rare, but they are hard to find, so seeing g one is a special treat! This summer, when en you are out after dark, try to spot one e of these amazing moths fluttering past st you or resting on a tree. “Due to urbanization, we don’t see these things as often as we might have 10 or 20 years ago,” says Tanja McKay, Kay, a scientist who teaches entomology (the study tudy of insects) at Arkansas State University. Here are some interesting facts about the Luna moth:
They are bright and BIG
Luna moths are lime green in color with reddish-purple markings. They have a giant wingspan of 3 to 5 inches, making them one of the largest species of moths found in the Natural State. Female Luna moths are brighter in color and slightly larger than the males.
They take flight at night
Luna moths are mostly nocturnal, which means they come out at night. You can see Luna moths flying around outdoor lights in the spring and summer evenings.
They are named for a Roman goddess
Their scientific name is Actias Luna. They y are named for Luna, the ancient Roman moon goddess. They are also known as the American moon moth.
They hey are at home in Arkansas
Luna a moths are native to Arkansas Ar and can be seen from m March to September. Septe They can also found in eastern astern parts part of North America.
They know how to protect themselves
Luna moths use their size, color, and wing markings to protect themselves. Their green color allows them to camouflage themselves against trees and leaves. The “eye spots” on their wings confuse and frighten predators, such as birds, which may think they are being watched by something some bigger than them. Their hindwings have elegant ele tails that confuse the hungry bats who use echolocation to find their prey in total darkness. darknes Even as caterpillars, they protect themselves by raising raisin the front portion of their body and making ma a warning sound by clicking their mandibles, mandib or jaws. They can also spit up a bad tasting fluid to keep predators away.
They don’t eat
Luna moths use energy stored from the caterpillar stage to live their short 7 to 10 day lifespan.
The life of a Luna moth
Luna moths mostly live in trees. They start out as caterpillars and eat the leaves of native hardwoods, such as sweet gum, persimmon, hickory, walnut and sumac trees. The caterpillars continue to feed and will molt five times over a month, turning from bright green to reddish-brown before spinning a cocoon. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for the caterpillar to spin its light brown-colored cocoon. The shape and color of the cocoon provides camouflage as the moth develops inside. Luna moths usually come out of their cocoons during the morning hours. It takes some time for their wings to dry out before they are ready to fly. From here, the cycle continues onto the next generation of the season.