Indian Moon Moth (Actias selene) | COCOONS

A care guide for Moon Moths can be found here.

The Indian moon moth (Actias selene) is a large, beautiful silk-moth native to regions of Southeast Asia. It is famous for its ethereal beauty, featuring pale green wings adorned with eye-like markings and long, elegant tails on its hindwings. The tails, a defining feature of the Moon Moths (Actias), usually have a pink hue. This can be pale or intense, varying between individuals and sometimes geographically. These tails are believed to have evolved due to natural selection as they protect the moth by drawing attacks away from the insect's body, confusing predators or disrupting the echolocation of bats. Female moths may have a wingspan of up to 17cm, whilst males have more prominent, feathery antennae used to detect pheromones and more angular wings.

The caterpillars of Actias selene feed on a variety of host plants. These plants provide the nourishment needed for the larvae to store energy for their transformation into adults - like other members of the Saturniidae family, adult Indian Moon Moths lack functional mouthparts and do not feed. Their sole purpose is reproduction, and their lifespan as adults is typically only around a week, although females can survive for up to three weeks by remaining stationary waiting for a mate.

This used to be a very common species in captive culture, however livestock is extremely rarely available now as several of the countries it occurs in no longer export livestock from butterfly farms - which is a shame as many beautiful species occur in these parts of the world. Current livestock is F0 from Vietnam, from very large and colourful moths! 

Host plants: Eucalyptus, Laurels, Birch, Alder, Willow, Oak, Walnut, Cherry, Plum, Sweet Gum. Multiple others reported.

Difficulty: Easy (1/10)

Temperature: Room temperature.

Lifecycle: up to four broods annually; cocoons can hibernate during cool/dry weather.