Adults do not have functioning mouth parts so as adults they will not feed.
The genus Actias is currently unknown. The specie name luna is Latin for moon.
The Luna Moth is primarily found in deciduous hardwood forest and the surrounding areas.
The adults usually emerge from their cocoon in the morning and spend the rest of the day spreading and drying their wings. During the night the female releases pheromones to attract a male. After mating the female lays her eggs singly or in clusters on the host plant. The caterpillars feed on the host plant until they form their cocoon.
In the northern part of their range there is usually one brood from May-July while in the south there can be two or three broods a year from March-September.
Males and females look very similar but there is one easy way to tell them apart. Females have much smaller antennae compared to males. The males need the larger more sensitive antennae so they can follow the pheromone trail back to the female.
