Fauna
Insect

North American Luna Moth

Actias luna

Also known as American Moon Moth

Luna moths emerge from silken cocoons at dusk equipped with striking lime-green wings and long trailing tails designed to disorient bat echolocation. Adults lack functional mouthparts or a digestive system, living for only about a week entirely on stored energy while searching for mates. Females release powerful pheromones that males detect from miles away using their large, feathery antennae.

NocturnalGiant Silk MothAttracted to Light
North American Luna Moth reference1 / 7
"Lovely luna moth at the Neosho National Fish Hatchery" by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySweetgum Leaves, Walnut Leaves, Birch Leaves
Predators
  • Bats
  • Owls
  • Birds
ThreatsLight pollution, habitat fragmentation, and introduced parasitic flies
HabitatsDeciduous forests, hardwood woodlands, and suburban tree canopies
Life span7 to 10 days as adults
Classification
  1. OrderLepidoptera
  2. FamilySaturniidae
  3. GenusActias
  4. SpeciesActias luna
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Harmless to humans and safe to observe.
Responsible observation
  • Porch Lights: Look for adults resting near outdoor white light sources during warm spring and summer nights.
  • Disturbance Avoidance: Observe gently without touching, as fragile wing scales rub off easily when handled.
  • Host Plants: Inspect sweetgum, hickory, or birch foliage in summer to spot the plump green caterpillars.
Related species
Keep collecting in Fauna

Found in Collections

Species set

Moonlight Marvels

North American Luna Moth is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.

—/7
Continue in the app
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…