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Edgefield County, SC

The larvae feed on leaves of alder, apple, birch, mountain ash, serviceberry, willow.

This moth is found in both Europe and North America, hence the common name.

Family: Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)

Edgefield County, SC

Family Erebidae

Edgefield County, SC

Larvae feed on leaves of a variety of deciduous trees: basswood, birch, cherry, elm, hawthorn, oak, poplar, willow

Edgefield County, SC

Larva feed on over 120 species of hardwoods. In the south, these trees include ash, hickory, maple, mulberry, oak, pecan, poplar, redbud, sweetgum, walnut, and willow.

The caterpillars form weblike tents in branch tips where clusters of caterpillars strip foliage (by contrast, eastern tent caterpillar nests are built in tree crotches).

Family Erebidae

Photographed at night with a Sony Alpha 350 and 30mm Macro Lens

Edgefield County, SC

Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)

Adult Luna moths do not eat; their only object is to reproduce. Their life span is about one week.

The caterpillars eat a variety of trees including white birch (Betula papyrifera), persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), hickories (Carya), walnuts (Juglans), pecans, and sumacs (Rhus).