It is a insect and it is the member of saturniidae family,having a special name called
"Giant Silkworm Moths”
Attraction
It is the most beautiful insect in the north America!!!!!!!!!!!of course its looking like a leaf.
Description
It is a huge moth ,the wings are lime-green.The bottom wings have a long tail,the border of the top wing is reddish-brown.The body of the Luna is white in color and it have a pinkish legs they fly only at the night time.
- spring
-summer
Both sexes are similar in size, but males have a more strongly feathered antennae.
-Wings pan - 80mm to 115mm -male
-Wing span - 7.5 to 10.5cm-female
Foundation
- America
- Nova Scotti
- Dakota
- Texas
- Florida
Range
- May to July-northern part
- March to September-southern part
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 .It has been found that it is particularly fond of the persimmon.
Behavior
The Luna moth is a nocturnal species and it is not often seen in the daytime , 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 it is not involved in reproductive behavior. It will also flutter the wings when it is attacked.
Reproduction
The Luna moth exhibits a pheromone mating system. This ability to attract distant males Undeterred by obstacles such as leaves and branches, the male moths will persistently follow the female. Then the female will typically mate with the first male it is a nocturnal species, mating usually occur in the mid-night .If they are disturbed then they will remain in copula until the next evening. After the separation of the pair, then ovipostion will begin and continue for several nights.
The female Luna Moth lays eggs on the bottom of Black Walnut leaves. She lays about 200 eggs that is 4-7 eggs at a time . She deposits her eggs on the leaves of her favorite trees near the north America
- persimmon
- sweet gum
- hickory
- walnut in the deciduous forests
The eggs hatch in about ten days. Once the eggs are laid, it takes about 10 days for them to hatch.Usually two generations are born each year
Adult Luna moth
- Adults die shortly after mating or laying eggs
- Adult Luna Moths do not have any mouths parts and cannot eat
- They live by the fat they stored up at the larval stage.
- life span-one week
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