Luna moth
Actias luna
Moth
Large pale-green giant silk moth (Saturniidae) with long curved hindwing tails and a wingspan of roughly 8-11 cm. Larvae are broadleaf-tree feeders whose primary hosts include hickory and walnut (Juglandaceae), paper birch, sweetgum, and American persimmon, with regional preference shifting from birch in the north to persimmon and sweetgum in the south. Adults have vestigial mouthparts, do not feed, and live only about a week, so the moth's entire dependence on the garden is through its caterpillars and the native host trees they require.
Conservation
NatureServe global rank Secure (G5); no IUCN Red List or USFWS listing. Documented localized threats include light pollution disrupting nocturnal mating and parasitism by introduced tachinid flies; planting native host trees and reducing outdoor lighting are the standard support actions.
Plan for this species
Location-fit plant set for Chicago, IL: host and specialist plants first, then nectar, fruit, seed, foliage, and shelter plants that still fit the current and mid-century climate read.
6 essential relationships / 0 supporting plants
Host/specialist links: 6
Forage/pollination links: 0
Shelter links: 0
Relationship roles: 1
American persimmon
Essential / Larval host plants
American sweetgum
Essential / Larval host plants
Black walnut
Essential / Larval host plants
Chestnut oak
Essential / Larval host plants
Luna moth uses a range of eastern hardwoods including oak. A mature ridge oak is one of the few large hosts available in a dry upland woodland.
Pecan
Essential / Larval host plants
Pignut hickory
Essential / Larval host plants
Carya is a documented larval host for the luna moth (Actias luna), one of the keystone hickory-feeding silk moths.
Plants in the catalog
Larval host plants · 11
Luna moth uses a range of eastern hardwoods including oak. A mature ridge oak is one of the few large hosts available in a dry upland woodland.
Carya is a documented larval host for the luna moth (Actias luna), one of the keystone hickory-feeding silk moths.
Birches are a well-documented larval host for the luna moth.
Range
Eastern North America east of the Great Plains, from Florida north to Maine and from Saskatchewan eastward through central Quebec to Nova Scotia. One generation per year (univoltine) from the northern U.S. and Canada, two in the mid-Atlantic, and three (trivoltine) in the south, where adults can appear nearly year-round in Florida and Louisiana.
Sources & citations
Cite this page
Use this citation for the Plotwright wildlife record. Use the source cards below to explore the references that informed its taxonomy, range, conservation, host plants, foraging, and habitat.
Plotwright. (n.d.). Luna moth (Actias luna). Retrieved 2026, August 20, from https://plotwright.com/wildlife/luna-moth
Sources used for this record
This record is compiled from the sources below.
BAMONA: Luna moth
Species profile for range, brood timing, non-feeding adults, and regional host trees.
MDC Field Guide: Luna moth
State agency species account used for identification detail, larval and adult food, and life-cycle timing. Missouri-scoped, so it is not cited for continental range.
Wikipedia: Actias luna
Corroborating reference for host trees, secure status, adult lifespan, and light/parasitism pressure.
GBIF: Actias luna
GBIF returns an EXACT accepted hit for Actias luna (Saturniidae) at usageKey 1865668.
iNaturalist: Actias luna
iNaturalist taxon 47916 is the species Actias luna, the North American luna moth.