Animal Facts

One of North America's largest and most beautiful insects, the Luna Moth, like most winged insects, undergoes a complete metamorphosis, with a larva (caterpillar) hatching from one of the 200 eggs laid by a fertilized female, eating its fill of deciduous tree leaves (deciduous trees are the broadleafed type that lose their leaves in the winter) and then spinning a cocoon of silk and leaf bits. Within forms a thin, horny brown pupa case that spends the winter dormant and developing.

In the growing warmth of Springtime, the moth becomes active and breaks out of its pupa and cocoon to dry its 3 to 4 inch iridescent pale green wings with their long, elegant tails in ths dimness of dusk, as they are nocturnal flyers. Adult Luna Moths have no mouths - they do not eat, but live only for a week - just long enough to mate and lay another batch of eggs for next year.