Luna Moth

[chernmax]

OK so the daughter and I are watching TV and I look out the back door at what looked like a bird flapping it's wings. Got a closer look and saw this! Daughter and I did a search and it's a Luna Moth. Big and beautiful for an all green moth!

Female Luna Moths release a chemical at night which attracts males. Adults die shortly after mating or laying eggs. Usually, two generations are born each year (that means that moths that spent the winter in a coccoon will hatch, mate, and lay eggs; then their children will hatch, mate, and lay eggs which will hatch and make cocoons for the Winter).

Luna Moths were once very common, but are now considered an endangered species in some areas.
Luna Moth

Anyway my daughter and I have never seen one before so just sharing in case no one else has either...

 

[Katelin]

A special gift from nature to you and your daughter!!! How cool!!!

 

[Speedy70]

Is that what they're called? My grandmother used to get those a lot on her tobacco barn. I see them every so often around here. When I was a kid I used to squish them.

 

[Baja28]

I saw one last week. Must have been a good year for them. They are pretty insects.

 

[aps45819]

OK so the daughter and I are watching TV and I look out the back door at what looked like a bird flapping it's wings. Got a closer look and saw this! Daughter and I did a search and it's a Luna Moth. Big and beautiful for an all green moth!

How big? I've seen them dinner plate size

 

[chernmax]

How big? I've seen them dinner plate size

He was an easy 8 inches from head to tail! That's why I thought it was a bird at first!

 

[Chasey_Lane]

I've seen something like that before, but w/ out the green wings. Same thing maybe?

 

[mitzi]

I've seen them in the daytime resting on a tree.

 

[Dymphna]

Is that what they're called? My grandmother used to get those a lot on her tobacco barn. I see them every so often around here. When I was a kid I used to squish them.

The favorite food of their larvae is tobacco. They are commonly called tobacco worms. Don't see them much anymore since the government destroyed their natural habitat.

 

[Speedy70]

The favorite food of their larvae is tobacco. They are commonly called tobacco worms. Don't see them much anymore since the government destroyed their natural habitat.

I remember the green tobacco worms. I used to pick them up and play with them. I wouldn't dare touch one now. LOL

But I thought they grew up to look like this:
http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/zoology/collections/lep/roll02/Manduca_Sexta_Moth.jpg

The 2 caterpillars do look similar though.

 

[Dymphna]

I remember the green tobacco worms. I used to pick them up and play with them. I wouldn't dare touch one now. LOL

But I thought they grew up to look like this:
http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/zoology/collections/lep/roll02/Manduca_Sexta_Moth.jpg

The 2 caterpillars do look similar though.

All I know is that my great-uncle, who was a tobacco farmer his whole life scolded us for admiring luna moths and told us to kill them because they were tobacco worms....could be both moths were a problem.

 

[chernmax]

All I know is that my great-uncle, who was a tobacco farmer his whole life scolded us for admiring luna moths and told us to kill them because they were tobacco worms....could be both moths were a problem.

Once the eggs are laid, it takes about 10 days for them to hatch. Caterpillars begin eating as soon as they leave the egg.

They eat leaves from many different trees and shrubs, including: Sweetgum, American Beech, Red Maple, hickories, White Oak, Black Cherry, willows, American Chestnut, and Smooth Sumac.

Luna Moths were once very common, but are now considered an endangered species in some areas.

People rarely see Luna Moths, mostly because they fly late at night. It is a treat to see one, because they are very beautiful insects. Humans have caused Luna Moths to become endangered by pollution and loss of habitat. Luna Moth caterpillars do not do much damage to trees.

Luna Moth

 

[Lilypad]

I find their wings on the driveway in the morning-Bluebirds and Flycatchers love em!