These Massive Moths are Out and About in New Hampshire This Month

Moths get a bad reputation. When you think of a moth you think of a swarm of them crowding outside your screen door at night because they are drawn to the light inside.

Back in college my friend's dog used to love moth hunting in the Summer. He would hang out on the deck and try to catch as many as he could. When we made him his own Facebook account we put "moth hunter" in his title. I used to have a lot of time on my hands.

Though moths are often labeled as pests, they play a vital role in our ecosystem.

According to Wikipedia. They serve as a food source for many animals including frogs, birds, bats, and even other insects. They are also excellent pollinators and some plants rely solely on moths for pollination, such as Yucca plants. My favorite houseplant is a Yucca plant so I guess I am a moth supporter and i didn't even know it!

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A member of the New Hampshire subreddit group who goes by the user name RevengfulVegetable posted this photo recently to the group of a beautiful Luna Moth:

What I'm seeing in the comments is even though they are supposedly common in New Hampshire during May-July, many users in the comments who characterize themselves as "old" have only seen one in their lifetime and it happened recently.

How can you spot a Luna Moth?

Look for a large, pale green moth with a wingspan of up to 4.5 inches. They are nocturnal, so you’re more likely to spot them at night, especially near porch lights or windows.

These creatures are absolutely fascinating. Clearly this one in the photo above is mimicking leaves and sticks. They also have fake eyes or "eye spots" to make themselves look like a large animal and confuse predators.

Luna moths have a very quick lifespan and the adults only live for about a week, just long enough to mate and lay eggs! They are here for a good time, not a long time.

Have you ever spotted a Luna Moth in New Hampshire? How about this year?