Hi to all, Are these moths fairy like or what.. ? I hope to see one,*~* One day...?
"Luna Moth Lore"
Their power is of the whirlwind - Ease of movement in darkness/shadow - Transformation - Ability to confuse enemies - Ability to find light in darkness
This nocturnal insect is found in deciduous hardwood forests in North America, from Canada to Northern Mexico. The Luna moth has a wingspan of 3 to 4 1/4 inches (7.5-10.8 cm). Males and females are similar in appearance, but the antennae of the males appear more feathery. Classification: Family Saturniidae, Genus Actias, Species luna.
Luna moths are one of the most unusual and beautiful of the North American moths known as Saturnidae. They are a light-green moth that has long, curving tails on its hindwings and distinctive eyespots on all four wings. Although they are often seen in pictures, they are a real surprise when found in nature. Although they are common throughout the eastern U.S., their night flying habits and short life span as an adult moth, only about 1 week, combine to make them a rare find. The luna moth, with a wingspan of 4.5-5.0 inches, is one of the largest moths in North America and is very common in many of the eastern states from Maine all the way to Florida. They usually are seen less as you go westward to Texas and the Great Plains. It is also found in southern regions of many Canadian provinces such as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskachewan.
Life Cycle: The Luna moth starts life as a tiny egg that hatches into a plump lime-green caterpillar with tiny orange spots along the sides. This slow-moving caterpillar eats the leaves of the white birch, alder, persimmon, sweet gum, hickory, walnut, or sumac trees. After eating and growing, the caterpillar builds a brown, tent-like cocoon, and eventually emerges as a fully-grown adult. The adult Luna moth does not eat; it only mates and reproduces.