Adult Luna Moths Develop Without A Mouth Graphic © todaysfunfact.com. Background photo: Pixabay (PD)
From its charismatic lime green aura to the curving tails majestically trailing from their hind wings—it’s easy to mistake the luna moth (Actias luna) for a butterfly. It’s, in fact, a giant silkworm moth. But beyond the cool name and picturesque appearance, the luna moth has a rather odd and single-minded approach to life.
Get this: The adult luna moth does not have a mouth (proboscis) or a developed digestive system! Why? It doesn’t eat. It has better things to do with its limited time alive (a week or so).
From the moment a luna moth pops out from its cocoon, it has one goal (aside from looking fabulous): to mate.
Luna Moth Life Cycle – Going Out With a ‘Bang’
Life for the luna moth starts as an egg that hatches and grows into a chunky lime-green caterpillar with a craving for birch, hickory, sweet gum, persimmon, and walnut leaves. It’s at this stage that they spend most of their lives.
The caterpillars feed and molt until it is ready to pupate, which involves spinning a silken cocoon wrapped in leaves. The adult luna moth then cuts through its cocoon in 2-3 weeks.
If you live in the eastern region of North America, where they are relatively common, you might find a luna moth perched on the side of a building or tree. As tempting as it may be, it’s advisable to let the insect be. It could likely be waiting for its wings to dry after emerging from its cocoon.
With only a week to find a mate, the stakes are higher for the mega-moth. But nature always has a workaround. The male luna moth (which has a characteristic bushy antenna) is known to fly great distances in search of a mate. And as the male luna moth goes looking, the female beckons him by releasing a sex pheromone. Perhaps poetically, luna moths often mate after midnight.
After the luna moth mates and lays its eggs, it dies having fulfilled its purpose. The cycle continues with the next generation as the eggs hatch in about 10 days. This often happens twice a year.
Interesting Facts About Luna Moths
• An adult luna moth is the size of an adult human’s hand, with a wingspan of up to 5 inches
• Luna moth caterpillars vomit an icky liquid to convince predators that they’re not a delicacy.
• Adult luna moths are believed to have evolved to deceive echolocating bats by scattering reflected sounds and shifting the location of echoes using their tails.