They both have antennae that resemble feathers, but the male’s antennae are much fuller than the female’s. The male and female moths can be identified by carefully observing the antennae. The female is slightly larger than the male and both sexes have the same color pattern. The moth’s body appears to be covered with white cotton. Each wing has a clear eye spot bordered with black and yellow. The top edge of each front wing is bordered with a purple-brown band. This moth is best known for the long, curved tails on its hind wings. The adult stage, most commonly found in April and May, is the spectacular pale green luna moth and has a wingspan of about four inches. The pupa will remain protected in the cocoon through the winter and the adult moth likely will emerge the next spring. The leaf hides most of the cocoon making it difficult to see among other leaves and debris on the ground. In the process of forming the cocoon, the caterpillar finds a dry leaf and carefully weaves the leaf into the silk. To do this, it crawls to the ground and begins to weave a silk cocoon around itself. When the caterpillar is fully developed, it begins a marvelous process - the transformation to a pupa. The luna moth is a member of the family of moths known as silk moths. In East Texas there may be up to three generations each year which means the caterpillar could be present throughout the warmer months. In spite of the fact that this large caterpillar can consume a considerable amount of foliage, it doesn’t cause any significant damage.
The caterpillar feeds on a wide variety of trees including hickory, persimmon, sweetgum, oak, and willow. In summary, the caterpillar of the luna moth is very colorful. The fleshy prolegs (false legs that are lost before the insect becomes an adult) are green and yellow and black. The thoracic legs (the true legs just behind the head) are yellow and black. Each spiracle appears as a pink spot surrounded by yellow, and there is a distinct yellow line running along each side of the body just below the spiracles. A row of spiracles (where the caterpillar breathes) occurs along both sides of the body. Several conspicuous bright red spots are present on each body segment. The segment just behind the head is rimmed with yellow and there is a conspicuous yellow band across the top of every abdominal segment. The caterpillar is a lush green color and covered with numerous short, stout hairs. When full grown, this caterpillar reaches a length of about three inches, is as big around as an adult’s index finger, and is harmless to people. The caterpillar or larva of the luna moth does not have a common name. The luna moth is one of the most beautiful silk moths found in North America. Here we will consider the caterpillar (larva) and the adult (moth) of the luna moth (Actias luna). However, the caterpillars that eventually develop into these beautiful adult insects are not nearly as well known. Many of us are familiar with some of the large and showy moths and butterflies that grace the forests of East Texas. FOREST HEALTH: LUNA MOTH The butterflies and moths are probably the most attractive and best known group of insects.
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