48. Luna Moth

LEPIDOPTEROLOGY
Media Used: watercolor, colored pencil, acrylic, graphite, ink, linocut on handmade cotton rag paper

2024

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Actias luna

Luna moths are nocturnal saturniids native to North America, typically found in the forests of the East Coast. Their bright green wings feature round markings known as eyespots, and the hindwing spots resemble a nearly full moon. Luna moth caterpillars are also green, and their diet consists of the leaves from hickory, paper birch, sweet gum, and walnut trees. After emerging from their cocoons, their lifespan is approximately a week long. In folklore, these moths are symbolic of intuition, the quest for truth, and seeing the light. Some consider them to be omens of transformation or rebirth.