Rare Visitor in the Neighborhood

3/22/2021

The Luna Moth

Today we're finally getting back into the lovely spring weather, and while I was out with the dogs, I happen to have the great fortune of running into this gorgeous creature:
the very beautiful Luna Moth

Luna Moth hanging out on my house

Despite the abundance of Luna Moths, they aren't seen out and about very often. This is due to their nocturnal nature, their forest habitat, and their very brief life cycle.
An adult Lunar Moth typically lives for about a week--sometimes up to ten days.
This very short cycle is due to the fact that the adult moths don't eat. In fact, they don't even have mouths believe it or not. Luna Moths survive off of the stored fat that is collected during their larva life cycle, and the sole purpose of their adult cycle is to reproduce and lay eggs.

The Luna Moth is one of the largest moths in all of North America.
Their wings can span from three to 7 inches! The Luna Moth is most identifiable by its beautiful, bright, green body and the pink or purplish outline. The moths also have 2 sets of wings--with each wing having a single eyespot. These eyespots act as a natural deterrent to predators because they trick the moths' enemies into believing they are much larger than they actually are. Luna Moths also have long elegant tails which many can get in the way of the echolocation that bats use to find prey. With bats being nocturnal like the Luna Moth, they are the most common predator.

Luna Moth Caterpillar

Luna Moth

The unusual beauty of this moth accompanied with its extremely short life span give many a feeling of special significance when seeing one. It is believed by many that seeing a Luna Moth is symbolic of renewal and rebirth; some believe that the moth is symbolic of the soul.

Keep in mind how special it is if you get an opportunity to see one of these gorgeous creatures up close and personal.