Lovely luna moths are one of the easiest moths to identify because of their green color and the long, curved tails on their hind wings. They also have a spot on each wing — four in all — that look like moons. This is how they got their name, since luna means moon.
Luna moths are one of the largest moths we see, with a wingspan of between 3 inches and 4½ inches. Those long tails on their hind wings serve an important purpose. They are able to spin them around in a circular motion, which helps confuse predators like bats. They live across most of the United States, and they prefer deciduous forests. This is because as caterpillars they eat tree leaves. As moths, they only live for about a week. They have no mouthparts and don’t eat at all during their time as moths.