Insect · GBIF taxon 1865668
North American Luna Moth
Actias lunaAlso 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
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sweetgum 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
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilySaturniidae
- GenusActias
- SpeciesActias luna
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- 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.
Close Relative (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · cc-by
Close Relative "Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia)" by Slomoz is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Sandilya Theuerkauf / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
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.
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