Carol, one of our Rivanna Master Naturalists, just sent me this image and an inquiry: "What is this critter? I've never seen anything like it!"
What Carol found is a luna moth (Actias luna).
They are common in our area, but still thrilling to see (in my personal opinion). They are in the family of Giant Silkworm Moths. The adult moths in this family have very reduced mouthparts and do not feed at all, so they only live for a few days. Their only "job" is to mate and lay some eggs; all the eating gets done at the caterpillar stage. The caterpillars are not host specific—in other words, they will feed on a variety of woody species (hickory trees, cherry trees, willows, etc.) Unless you are outside at night with a light, it is most common (in my experience) to find them flopping around looking close to death. I always want to rescue them from the parking lot, but it is pretty futile given their lifespan.
If you get a chance to see one, look at its face up close. They have one of the cutest insect faces you'll ever see. Seriously!
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