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The Big, Beautiful Luna Moth Trivia Quiz

The largest moth in North America, the luna moth only lives a week as an adult, but how beautiful it is! I still remember when I saw my first one. Here's a quiz about them.

A multiple-choice quiz by littlepup. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
littlepup

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
384,700

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
217

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page

Question 1 of 10

1. How big is the typical luna moth, to earn the title of largest moth in North America? Hint

as big as a dinner plate, 8" or 203 mm

would hide a tennis ball, 2.7" or 69 mm

would cover a quarter (coin), 1" or 25 mm

would cover your palm, 4.5" or 114 mm

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Question 2 of 10

2. What is the luna moth's geographic range in the early twenty-first century, so you know if there's a chance you might see one? Hint

Florida across to Texas

the west coast and into western Canada

west of the Mississippi and into northern Mexico

east of the Mississippi throughout the U.S and into Canada and Mexico

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Question 3 of 10

3. How many generations a year, in the early twenty-first century, does the luna moth produce? Apparently, they keep a close eye on the calendar and map. Hint

one in Canada, two in the middle states, three in the deep south

one generation a year

two generations a year

three generations a year

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Question 4 of 10

4. What do luna moth caterpillars look like? Apparently even the caterpillars are competitive growers, when it comes to size. Hint

lime green, up to 3.5" (8.9 cm)

dark green, up to 2" (5.1 cm)

dark red, up to 1" (2.5 cm)

lime green, up to 2.5" (6.4 cm)

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Question 5 of 10

5. What does the luna moth feed on? Hint

the caterpillar eats a wide choice of tree leaves

the caterpillar prefers sumac but will eat other tree leaves; the adult moth drinks nectar of mallows

the caterpillar eats only persimmon leaves

the caterpillar eats mostly grasses and wetland plants; the adult drinks honeysuckle nectar

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Question 6 of 10

6. How does the luna moth caterpillar prepare for its entrance into the pupa stage? It doesn't have a mother to say, "Did you go to the bathroom first?" Hint

the caterpillar expels all fluids and food it can spare and retreats to the leaf litter on the ground

the caterpillar takes a last full meal of as much leaves and water as it can eat

the caterpillar climbs to the highest leaves, out of reach

the caterpillar crawls to the base of its tree, hoping to avoid caterpillars competing for the same spot

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Question 7 of 10

7. Where or how do luna moths spend the winter, since they live in the northern US and Canada where the weather is really cold? It apparently watches the thermometer and calendar. Hint

the adult moth migrates into northern Mexico

the adult moth hibernates

the caterpillar is triggered into diapause to overwinter as a pupa before coming out as a moth

the caterpillar migrates south to where winters are mild enough

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Question 8 of 10

8. When the luna moth caterpillar emerges from its pupa, what is its first priority? If I wake up from a long nap, the first thing I do is stretch. Hint

practice flying in low hops

get a good meal and drink

practice walking up a tree trunk and down

let its wings stretch and expand

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Question 9 of 10

9. The luna moth's eye spots are to scare off predators who are momentarily fooled into thinking they're real eyes, but what good do the long tails on a luna moth's hind wings do? Hint

the have increased on modern moths as a mutation due to chemicals

they entice the best mates

they fool bats' echolocation systems

they allow the moth to scoop up water while flying

10. The adult female luna moth, after mating, is ready to lay eggs and start the cycle of more moths again. How many eggs does she lay and what are they like? Once again, the moth seems to try competing for big numbers Hint

a female lays two dozen green eggs at once

a female can lay over 500 eggs, half a dozen or more at a time, mottled brown

a female lays a dozen green eggs individually

a female lays 100 eggs in batches of a dozen, light brown

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 04 2024 : klotzplate: 10/10
Sep 26 2024 : Triviaballer: 8/10

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How big is the typical luna moth, to earn the title of largest moth in North America?

Answer: would cover your palm, 4.5" or 114 mm

The luna moth is pale green, the color that luminous numbers on old clocks used to be, with reddish eyespots and long hind-wing tails. The size is nowhere near Australian and South American moths, where wingspans can reach 8" to 10", but it's in the size-range of the giant swallowtail, the largest butterfly in North America.

2. What is the luna moth's geographic range in the early twenty-first century, so you know if there's a chance you might see one?

Answer: east of the Mississippi throughout the U.S and into Canada and Mexico

The luna moth has a fairly large range in the United States, covering half the continental U.S., extending from the east coast to the Mississippi and a little west of it.

3. How many generations a year, in the early twenty-first century, does the luna moth produce? Apparently, they keep a close eye on the calendar and map.

Answer: one in Canada, two in the middle states, three in the deep south

In Canada and where summer is shorter in the north part of its range, the luna moth fits in one generation, maturing in early June through early July. Where the season lasts longer, in New York and southward, they fit in two generations, the first appearing as adults by May, the second 2-2.5 months later. In the extreme southern end of the range, there are three generations, starting in February and every eight to ten weeks later.

4. What do luna moth caterpillars look like? Apparently even the caterpillars are competitive growers, when it comes to size.

Answer: lime green, up to 3.5" (8.9 cm)

The caterpillars are big and similar in color to the moths themselves. As they get older, they may have pale dots or stripes down the sides, or darker undersides, but the predominant color is lime green. They go through five instars or molts before finally changing to moths. During the first two or three instars, the caterpillars tend to gather in groups, but in the last two or three, they become solitary, concentrating on feeding.

5. What does the luna moth feed on?

Answer: the caterpillar eats a wide choice of tree leaves

This might have been a trick question, because the luna moth has no mouth and eats nothing, but the caterpillar munches on a variety of hardwood tree leaves, whatever it finds itself near. Some of the variety of trees reported include: hickory, walnut, persimmon, sumac, sweet gum, white birch. Can you imagine the luna moth fluttering around a big white birch tree in the moonlight, waiting to lay its eggs nearby? Beautiful!

6. How does the luna moth caterpillar prepare for its entrance into the pupa stage? It doesn't have a mother to say, "Did you go to the bathroom first?"

Answer: the caterpillar expels all fluids and food it can spare and retreats to the leaf litter on the ground

Once the caterpillar empties its gut of all food, water, fluids and feces, it's ready to pupate in the leaf litter at the base of its tree. It's actually a silkworm and so produces a pupa with many strands of silk, then a brown outer covering made of leaves.

The silk isn't of commercial quality and usually can't be unreeled to be spun, so the fortunate caterpillar gets to live undisturbed by silk weavers. In about two weeks, it will be ready to emerge.

7. Where or how do luna moths spend the winter, since they live in the northern US and Canada where the weather is really cold? It apparently watches the thermometer and calendar.

Answer: the caterpillar is triggered into diapause to overwinter as a pupa before coming out as a moth

The caterpillar can go into diapause while a pupa. If it senses colder days and other indications of winter, it fails to appear in its usual two weeks and instead decides that winter is coming and life would be better if it stayed snug in its pupa until spring, where it has extra quilts, a mug of hot chocolate and a roaring fire. Or something like that.

8. When the luna moth caterpillar emerges from its pupa, what is its first priority? If I wake up from a long nap, the first thing I do is stretch.

Answer: let its wings stretch and expand

The moth's wings are tiny when it emerges, barely half as long as itself, all folded up. It climbs to a safe spot where it has room to let its wings stretch out, be filled with circulatory fluids and harden. The moth is vulnerable during this time, which can take two hours, but afterwards, it's ready to fly and be a full adult.

It usually emerges in the morning to be fully ready for evening flight.

9. The luna moth's eye spots are to scare off predators who are momentarily fooled into thinking they're real eyes, but what good do the long tails on a luna moth's hind wings do?

Answer: they fool bats' echolocation systems

Scientists believe the tails are similar to the eye spots, except they fool bats that are "looking" with echolocation. The bat will recognize the tails with its radar as something solid, but when it gets close enough to strike, the moving tails can fool it into targeting them, coming up with, at most, a mouthful of useless, harmless tails, without the body it was hoping for.

Answer: a female can lay over 500 eggs, half a dozen or more at a time, mottled brown

The female attaches her eggs to the bottom of a leaf, and lays a few at a time, but does it often, so her total can exceed 500. They incubate for eight to thirteen days before hatching, depending on the weather. The tiny caterpillars that emerge are green, bristly, and ready to start growing.

Source: Author littlepup

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor rossian before going online.
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