Subject: luna moth
Location: nc
May 3, 2016 5:54 am
hello, please help !
I have (what I believe is a male) luna moth by my front door for several days now. I was hoping it would have flown away at night but it hasn’t and now its at the bottom of the door step and does not look like its in a comfortable spot his wings tip bent as he is long. I have read a previous post that someone had moved one to a tree , I would do that but its pouring out and he is currently sheltered from my porch. please advise what I should do as I do not want to see it die
Signature: thanks
Male Luna Moth
Like other Giant Silkmoths, Luna Moths do not feed as adults, meaning they must survive off of energy in the form of fat stored while the caterpillar was feeding. Flying takes tremendous energy. The female Luna Moth lives as an adult to mate and then lay her eggs. The male Luna Moth flies to locate a female when he senses her pheromones. He does not fly around needlessly. If there is no female nearby, your male Luna may be waiting until he catches the scent of a female before he flies off. In a previous Cecropia Moth posting, we recommended relocating the female so that she might lay eggs. There would be no purpose to relocate this male unless it is to place him nearer to a mate. Adult Giant Silkmoths, including the Luna Moth, only live a few days, perhaps a week at most. Sadly, if this male does not sense a female soon and fly to mate with her, he may die at your front door. Our advice is to wait and let nature take its course.
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