Cool story! Manna from Heaven! :D Looks like a male to me too.

Manna from heaven is just what I thought when I first saw him, too, KC. He left as soon as it got dark last night.
I'd love to raise a few lunas this year - maybe I'll order some eggs, if they're available.

Sherry

Lucky you! I have plenty of host plants for them but I think I've only seen one since I've lived here (20+ years).

Somewhere I've seen some info on the best time to watch for certain moths. I need to find that and set my alarm so I can check. I've wondered if they're all outside having a party at four in the morning under my porch light and I just never get to see it.

Was just standing in our "TV room," watching part of "The Voice" that my wife wanted me to see. I noticed something coming at me from the kitchen. It flew in and landed. Turned out to be a male luna. I thought I had all my luna cocoons outside in the garage. Seems like at least one cat escapee a year gets to surprise us in the spring. Last year it was a poly.

I was doing a search to make sure no one had posted about the book I just posted. My search came up with a Miss Sherry luna thread from 2008. It is a good read with some good pics. Thought some of you might like revisiting this blast from the past.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lunas 2008

I well remember that thread, KC!

Congrats on your in-home luna, but I prefer mine outside! :)

Sherry

Had a female eclose on Friday but no males showed for 3 nights so I put her in the fridge to try later. Had another female eclose, put her out last night and 2 males showed, the first one at 21:34.

April 19th is the earliest I've ever had a wild giant silk moth show up in central Ohio. 21:34 is probably the earliest time I've had a wild male show up for a calling female. The other male showed before 23:00 so I got to bring in my bird cage and go to bed. Wish it was that easy every time. OTOH, I pulled out the refrigerated female and placed her with one of the wild males. Nothing happened between them so not everything went as hoped.

KC

I wish we could still post to Sherry's long luna moth thread since there is so much info there. I posted there last year that I had 2nd brood lunas eclosing on September 18th. I was never able to attract a wild male.

Well, this year, I've had 2nd brood lunas eclosing for maybe the last week. I've had at least 30 eclose but I was not attracting any wild males. I was afraid the wild ones were on a different schedule. I'm pleased to announce that at least 3 wild males showed last night and I have one pair mating. So, for the first time ever in my experience, I'll be raising 3rd brood lunas in central Ohio. I figured I would be considering how early the eclosures started this year.

KC

KC, Congrats on your mating lunas. I can imagine that it keeps you very busy trying to keep all of those hungry mouths fed.

I'm including the link to Sherry's Luna Moth caterpillar thread from several years ago. I think too that there's a lot of good information there and have it saved in my favorites to refer back to if I ever get a chance to raise any.

Cathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Sherry's Luna Moths

Yay Lunas! What a great moth. All of mine have mad cocoons. I have them outside to take advantage of the cool nights. Our days are still real hot though and I am waiting to see what they will do.
-Elisabeth

My daughter's monarch butterfly boots were muddy so my wife stuck them in the sink in the moth room a couple days ago. I decided to clean them up tonight. Grabbed the scrub brush but it was stuck to the counter behind the faucet. Pulled harder and realized the problem. Some caterpillar had made a cocoon between the counter and the brush. Figured poly but no, it's a luna. Cool thing is the silk is white, matching the brush bristles. So, if you were wondering, you now know lunas can make their silk different shades if necessary.

One less moth that will be surprising me in my house this spring.

And, yes, we don't use that scrub brush much. :)