Luna Moth Facts
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Saturniidae
- Genus: Actias
- Species: Actias luna
12 Luna Moth Facts for Kids
- The luna moth is a silk moth that is a member of the genus Actias.
- The binomial name for the luna moth is Actias luna.
- The luna moth was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
- The average lifespan of a luna moth is just under one year.
- The luna moth is one of the largest moths in North America.
- The average wingspan of a luna month is 4.5 inches, but they can reach a wingspan of 7 inches.
- The four stages of a luna moth’s life cycle are egg, larva, pupa and adult.
- A luna moth caterpillar (larva) can make a clicking noise and throw up contents of its stomach to ward off predators.
- Entomologists think the long tail of an adult luna moth is used to mess up the echolocation used by predatory bats.
- The adult luna moth lacks a mouth and doesn’t consume food during its adult stage.
- An adult luna moth only lives about one week, with the sole purpose to find a mate before it dies.
- In North America, a parasitic fly was introduced to help control gypsy moths. Initial studies show that this parasitic fly has had a negative impact on luna moth populations.
Luna Moth Pictures
A close-up photo of a luna moth.
Credit: P. M. Shrewsbury
A photo of a luna moth on a tree.
Credit: University of Florida
A photo of a luna moth larva.
Credit: Donald W. Hall
Additional Resources with Luna Moth Facts
- The Luna Moth – Explore the University of Florida website to learn more about the Actias luna (Luna moth).
- Luna moth, Actias luna (Linnaeus, 1758) – Find out more fascinating luna moth facts and pictures on the Butterflies and Moths of North America website.
- Luna moth – Wikipedia – Discover more about the luna moth on the Wikipedia website.