lu·na moth

(lo͞o′nə)

A large pale-green North American saturniid moth (Actias luna) with hind wings that have elongated tips.

[New Latin lūna, species name, from Latin, moon; see lunar.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

luna moth

(Animals) a large American saturniid moth, Tropaea (or Actias) luna, having light green wings with a yellow crescent-shaped marking on each forewing

[C19: so named from the markings on its wings]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

lu′na moth`

a pale green saturniid moth, Actias luna, with crescent spots and long tails on the hind wings.

[1850–55, Amer.]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

luna moth - large pale-green American moth with long-tailed hind wings and a yellow crescent-shaped mark on each forewing

Actias luna

saturniid, saturniid moth - large brightly colored and usually tropical moth; larvae spin silken cocoons

Actias, genus Actias - luna moths

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References in periodicals archive

But did you know that American hornbeam also serves as a host for the luna moth, the eastern tiger swallowtail and a whopping 66 additional species of butterflies and moths?

Why native trees are better for butterflies, songbirds

The luna moth, for example is one big beautiful moth with no mouth!

Flying by Night

But I found an opportunity when the most observant member of my family, my ten-month-old, spied--and then naturally tried to eat--a gorgeous green luna moth that was lying in a dusty corner by the sink.

CHOMPING AT NATURE'S BIT

As I wait for the green grandeur of luna moth, wings once apprehended then gone out of sight, I will wait for you.

Tropic Cascade

I've always known the moon as "Luna" (luna moth, lunacy) (Garth Price, Eugene)

Buzzworthy

For example, the beautiful Luna moth does not have a mouth -- so cannot eat -- and will live only for about one week, with the singular purpose of mating!

Moth season in Newcastle: Five things you did not know about moths; As moth season begins here are five things you did not know about the beer-loving nocturnal flutterbyes

Those pretty green tails fluttering and whirling at the end of a luna moth's hind wings turn out to be pretty good defensive weapons in an acoustic war with predatory bats.

Tails of luna moths deflect bat attacks

We enjoy the ups and downs of their success in the world of comics as they create the cartoon characters The Escapist and Luna Moth. A winner of multiple awards, Kavalier and Clay is Chabon at his finest.

My favorite Pulitzer prize winners

We also kept garter snakes, which we took to middle school during the winter (They only escaped a couple of times inside the classroom!) We'd patrol the backyard garden, and it was so exciting to see something new, like the buckeye butterfly or a luna moth.

Women's work blissed on bugs: entomology: meet Elizabeth Murray, entomologist! If you like nature, sleuthing, and adventure, the bug business may be in your future. Laura, who's Elizabeth's sister, interviewed her

I've seen you, she says: once I was a Luna moth outside your

Moth

The luna moth, one of the world's largest, is usually found fluttering around as far afield as Nepal, Borneo and the Philippines, but was discovered by workers on a factory site in Tipton.

Workmen find rare moth on factory site in Tipton

Amy Crawford photographed this luna moth in a moment of vulnerability.

Bug beauties