Luna Moths Have Hatched

It happens every summer, one morning we get up and discover a

huge green moth clinging to the stone facing on our entryway. It’s the luna moth, so named for the moon-like eyespots on its back wings.

This morning we were thrilled to find, not just one luna moth, but four. Two were clinging to the stone facing. One appeared to have suffered a close call. My guess is that a bird tried to snatch it, but mostly missed.

Its companion on the stone was in much better condition.

Sad to say, I found the remnants of its wings on the step later this afternoon. The damaged moth was still clinging to the wall, and is there now, with evening setting on. Normally luna moths fly at night, but this fellow may not be to take off. Nighttime is when female luna moths exude a pheromone at night, a powerful attraction for the males.

I was up at 3:30 this morning and working in my “wreck” room. The light must have attracted the two luna moths I discovered clinging to the sliding glass door. One was tucked into the junction of the doors.

The other was at the very bottom of the door. Dennis took this photo because I can no longer squat down.

Notice those feathery antennae? All luna moths have feathery antennae, but the male’s are much larger than the female’s. All four of this morning’s moths were male. That’s because the males hatch out earlier than the females, much as the first squash blossoms to appear are male. That’s Mama Nature’s insurance that someone will be ready, willing, and able to fertilize the egg-laden females.

Luna moths, with their 4½ -inch wingspan are easy prey for birds, who don’t eat the wings, but relish the luna’s fat bellies.

We are lucky to have a lot of black walnut trees, because the female luna moths lay their eggs on the underside of walnut leaves, as many as 200 at a time. Thanks to those trees, we are privileged to see luna moths every summer.

Copyright 2015 by Shirley Domer