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The Indian moon moth is a species of Saturnid moth found in Asia. It is widespread and found from India to Japan and Nepal to Borneo. Like most moths it flies by night. It’s one of the biggest moths found in Goa and one of my favorites to find and photograph!

The antennae of the male luna moth can detect a single sex pheromone molecule released by a female from more than six miles away due to extremely sensitive olfactory receptors.

The moon moth is silk producing and therefore termed sericigenous. A single cocoon of this species can yield continuous fiber of 300 to 350 meters. Silk moths are valued on their voltinism, i.e. the number of broods they produce in an year. The Indian moon moths are trivoltine as they produce up to 3 generations of broods per year

The moon moth goes through the stages of egg, larva, and pupa, to reach its shortest and prettiest stage as an adult. While the first three stages of its life take about two months to complete, as an adult the moth will live for a maximum of a week! The adult lacks a functioning mouth and a digestive track and therefore lives off resources it stashed away when it was in its larval stage. As an adult the only function of the the moon moth seems to be to find a mate to reproduce with.