The luna moth is located from Mid-Texas to the east of this line. It is
abundant in the eastern half of the United States but is rarely found farther
than Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota with a few localized
areas in Washington and Utah.
Distribution map for Actias luna
Eggs:
Eggs are white with black speckles. Approximately 250-350 eggs
can be laid by a single female. The eggs often have molted colorations from
the glue the female uses to stick the eggs to leaves. Egg incubation time for
the species Actias luna is 8 to 13 days.
Preferred food plants of this species include:
Walnut*
Sweet Gum*
Hickory
Sumac
Stars indicate the food plants that I've used with much
success. This list is by NO means exhaustive. If you don't see names for trees
or shrubs in your area on this list, please check the more exhaustive list of
foodplants listed here.
Caterpillars:
The luna is a fascinating moth. As a caterpillar its tranformation
is very minute. When the eggs first hatch, tiny green caterpillars emerge. They
are green with a few tubercles and black segments. Upon the shedding of the
first skin, the caterpillar goes from green and black to plain green. Third
instar, they stay green and just increase in size. The spiracles (Breathing
holes that line the side of the abdomen) are also visible. Fourth instar, no
change occurs except for the huge size. Fifth instar the caterpillar is mammoth
in size compared to what it once was. 7-9 days is usually spent in each instar
with the final instar lasting about two weeks. When it's time to make the cocoon,
the caterpillar will empty the digestive track via a runny stool. After completing
that, it begins to search for a suitable place to make it's cocoon.
Cocoons:
The cocoons of this species is single walled. This means that
there is no inner wall and the cocoon is very thin and flimsy.
The cocoon of the luna moth is relatively small compared to
the Hyalophora cecropia cocoon. Before making the cocoon, the larvae will rid
itself of the digestive track via a runny stool. Usually green in color, this
signals that the caterpillar is ready to spin up. Lunas usually use leaf wraps
for their cocoons and also in the folds of a sleeve if one is used.
Eclosion:
Luna moths usually eclose in the afternoon through mid-March
to mid-April. They are bivoltine.(two broods a year) or even trivoltine in some
parts of the United States. Upon eclosing (the actual event in which the moth
escapes from the cocoon) it will look for a place to climb and dry its wings.
I keep my cocoons in an paper-towel lined aquarium with a cover I made out of
1/4 inch hardware screening. Three sides are also draped in paper towel. When
the moth hatches, it will climb the paper towel and then hang from the screen
cover.
Scenting and Mating:
All female moths in the family "Saturniidae"
have a scent gland. This gland produces a pheromone that the male moth can "smell"
with his antennae. He can track her up to seven miles away on this pheromone.
The female luna usually extends her scent gland between 11:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M.,
but times vary depending on location.
After the male moth finds the female, mating occurs. The pair will stay coupled
anyway from a few hours to a day and a half. This also depends on the species
and location of the moth. After mating has occurred, the female will fly off
to search out trees and shrubs on which she can lay her eggs. Based on captivity
laying, the female lays her eggs in small clusters of 3-4. The moth's egg capacity
is usually between 250-300 eggs.
