Look closerInsects
Luna moths at the porch light, most likely in June
When: May to August
Adult luna moths never feed and live only about a week, so one resting at a Sudbury porch light is a brief and lucky sight, most likely in June.
Why this time of year
The dependable flight here is early summer with a June peak, but Mass Audubon's August almanac still flags Luna Moths at porch lights, so a warm August night is worth a glance on the way in.
How to notice it
- After full dark, check the porch light and the wall around it, not just the air.
- Look for the pale green color and a long trailing tail on each hindwing.
- If one is there, watch from a step away and leave it be.
- Turn off unneeded outdoor lights when you head inside.
Try this with kids: Can you check the porch light each warm night this week for a big green moth?
adult luna moths have no working mouthparts; the caterpillar did all the eating
Safety
- Look without touching or moving the moth; its whole adult life is about a week long.
Sources
- mynpn.usanpn.orgone generation in Canada and the northernmost US flying late May through June; two generations only from central New Jersey and southern Pennsylvania southward; range covers eastern North America including New England
- wildadirondacks.orgnorthern flight late May through mid-July with the peak in June; adults live about a week, do not feed, and are attracted to lights
- bugs.uconn.eduin southern New England lunas usually appear around early June, live a week as adults, and fly at night
In the guide for May, June, July, August