Actias luna
Geographic Range
The luna moth occurs widespread in the forested areas of North America (Carter, 1992). In Canada the species has been found from Nova Scotia through central Quebec and Ontario. In the United States the species has been found in every state east of the Great Plains all the way south to northern Mexico (Tuskes et al.,1996). (Carter, 1992; Tuskes, et al., 1996)
Habitat
The luna moth occurs in the forested areas of North America. They seem to prefer decidous woodlands, with trees such as the hickory, walnut, sumacs, and persimmon. (Tuskes, et al., 1996)
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- forest
- Other Habitat Features
- suburban
Physical Description
The luna moth is an easily distinguishable species with long sweeping hindwing tails and varying in color from yellowish green to pale bluish green (Carter, 1992). Both sexes are similar in size, but males have a more strongly feathered antennae (Tuskes et al., 1996; Carter, 1992). The wingspan ranges from 80mm -115mm (Carter, 1992). This species also exhibits both polyphenism and regional phenotypic variation (Tuskes et al., 1996). In its early stages the luna moth is a green caterpillar that has hair, spiny tubercles, and a yellow stripe on each side (Holland, 1908; Grzimek,1972). (Carter, 1992; Grzimek, 1972; Holland, 1908; Tuskes, et al., 1996)
- Other Physical Features
- ectothermic
- heterothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes shaped differently
-
- Range wingspan
- 80 to 115 mm
- 3.15 to 4.53 in
Reproduction
The luna moth exhibits a pheromone mating system. This ability to attract distant males via chemical communication is found in all female saturniids. Undeterred by obstacles such as leaves and branches, the male moths will persistently follow the scent trail of a female. Then the female will typically mate with the first male to reach her. Since the luna moth is a nocturnal species, mating usually occurs in the first hours after midnight. If the pair is undisturbed then they will remain in copula until the next evening, but the slightest disturbance can cause separation. After the separation of the pair, then ovipostion will begin and continue for several nights. A female luna moth will seek a host plant in which to oviposit. Some populations of luna moths complete more than one generation in a year. (Tuskes et al., 1996). (Tuskes, et al., 1996)
- Key Reproductive Features
- semelparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- fertilization
- oviparous
Behavior
The luna moth is a nocturnal species (Tuskes et al., 1996), and is not often seen in the daytime (Holland, 1908). As do many saturniids, the Luna moth uses wing patterns as a defense against predators. The Luna moth can mimic living and dead leaves on the ground by remaining motionless when not involved in reproductive behavior and also becomes nearly impossible to see during the day when roosting on the bark of sycamore trees. The moths will also dramatically flutter their wings when attacked (Tuskes et al., 1996). (Holland, 1908; Tuskes, et al., 1996)
Food Habits
The luna moth is an insect herbivore. As a caterpillar it feeds on the foliage of various species of hickory, walnut, sweet-gum, persimmon, and birch trees (Holland, 1908). It has been reported that it is particularly fond of the persimmon (Holland, 1908). (Holland, 1908)
- Plant Foods
- leaves
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Luna moths have often been used in classrooms to help teach insect life cycles. They have also proven good subjects in ecology and evolutionary biology (Tuskes et al., 1996). (Tuskes, et al., 1996)
- Positive Impacts
- research and education
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known negative effects contributed by Luna moths.
Conservation Status
The luna moth is a wild silk moth. Wild silk moths have declined in numbers since the 1960's due to habitat destruction and increased use of bright vapor lights that disrupt mating (Tuskes et al., 1996). However, luna moths are not listed as threatened by the IUCN, the U.S. government, or the state of Michigan.
-
- IUCN Red List
- Not Evaluated
-
- US Federal List
- No special status
-
- CITES
- No special status
-
- State of Michigan List
- No special status
Other Comments
The first North American saturniid reported in literature was the luna moth. (Tuskes, et al., 1996)
Contributors
Linda Patlan (author), Southwestern University, Stephanie Fabritius (editor), Southwestern University.
Glossary
- Nearctic
-
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
- arboreal
-
Referring to an animal that lives in trees; tree-climbing.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- ectothermic
-
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- folivore
-
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
- forest
-
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- heterothermic
-
having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature.
- hibernation
-
the state that some animals enter during winter in which normal physiological processes are significantly reduced, thus lowering the animal's energy requirements. The act or condition of passing winter in a torpid or resting state, typically involving the abandonment of homoiothermy in mammals.
- internal fertilization
-
fertilization takes place within the female's body
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- semelparous
-
offspring are all produced in a single group (litter, clutch, etc.), after which the parent usually dies. Semelparous organisms often only live through a single season/year (or other periodic change in conditions) but may live for many seasons. In both cases reproduction occurs as a single investment of energy in offspring, with no future chance for investment in reproduction.
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- solitary
-
lives alone
- suburban
-
living in residential areas on the outskirts of large cities or towns.
- temperate
-
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
References
Carter, D. 1992. Eyewitness Handbooks: Butterflies and Moths. New York: Dorling Kindersley, Inc..
Grzimek, 1972. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
Holland, W. 1908. The Moth Book. New York: Doubleday, Page & Company.
Tuskes, P., J. Tuttle, M. Collins. 1996. The Wild Silk Moths of North America: A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada. New York: Comstock Publishing Associates.