11/24/2023 0 Comments Lunar moth larvae![]() ![]() In northern latitudes, there is only one new generation of luna moths born each summer, between the months of May and July, but in the southernmost parts of their range (the eastern U.S., from Florida to Maine, and parts of Canada) two or even three generations can be produced between March and September. The moth has lime-green wings and a white body. As babies they're fat, segmented, lime-green caterpillars that prefer certain foods: the leaves of hickory, birch, persimmon, sweet gum, walnut and sumac trees. The luna moth ( Actias luna ), also called the American moon moth, is a Nearctic moth in the family Saturniidae, subfamily Saturniinae, a group commonly named the giant silk moths. These large, shapely moths are the size of the palm of an adult human's hand - a delicate green color with eye-shaped spots on their hindwings and little crescent-shaped loops on the forewings. You might never have seen one in person, but if you live in the eastern half of North America, it's likely a luna moth lives not far from you. Take the luna moth ( Actias luna), maybe the most charismatic mega-moth of them all. You might not love to hang out with bugs, but some insects are real knockouts. The pupae remain in the soil through winter. ![]() Caterpillars feed until late summer or early fall and then pupate. ![]() Second generation moths deposit eggs on host plants, such as tomato. The luna moth ( Actias luna) is among the largest moth species in North America, with a wingspan of 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 centimeters). Moths emerge in two weeks to begin a second generation, during mid-summer. ![]()
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