It Is The Last Week Of The Year To Spot This Moth in Minnesota

There are only a couple weeks left this year to spot one of Minnesota's prettiest insects.

The luna moth is a gorgeous green moth that is commonly spotted in its adult form in May through late June. They are most commonly found in the eastern half of the USA and don't go much further west of Minnesota. Wing spans can be up to 4 inches long making them very strong fliers.

If you are looking for luna moths they tend to reside in deciduous forest environments and are attracted to light, making it a good excuse to stay up late in hopes of seeing one. It also might be helpful to know they favor white birch, walnut, and sumac trees.

If you are looking during daylight hours, theses moths might be a bit harder to come by. They are experts in camouflage, hanging from trees, and wrapping their wings around their body disguises them perfectly as a leaf.

Since they only hang around about a month in our great state, they aren't as common to see. But if you can spot one their beauty is a real treat. Keep an extra eye out for these fancy fliers when you are spending time outside these next couple of weeks. Now that you know what you are looking for you never know what will show up. And if you happen to be lucky enough to snap a picture, send it to us on the 98.1 mobile app!