Male vs Female Luna Moth: 3 Key Differences

other hand females tend to have more vibrant coloration in their wings and larger bodies.
In addition the antennae of male and female luna moths are slightly different in appearance from one another. These sensory organs are responsible for helping the moths detect chemical messages in the air. When preparing to mate females will emit pheromones in order to attract a male. In turn the male luna moth must pick up on this in order to locate the mating female. Because of this males tend to have larger fluffier antennae than females which helps them pick up on these chemical messages.
Biology
The average wingspan of a luna moth is between 4 5 and 7 inches long. 
As we stated earlier females emit pheromones in order to attract males. They will perch themselves and simply wait for the male to find them to copulate. Whereas the females simply pick a nice spot to pass the time in male luna moths will begin the chase. Once a male has picked up on these chemical messages left by the female they will begin a neverending journey in order to reach her before another male can. Females will mate with the first male who visits them after picking up on their pheromones so for any males in the area this is a race against one another.
A littleknown fact is that luna moths are born without mouths in their adult stage. That means that after emerging from their cocoon their sole purpose in life is to find and mate with a member of the opposite gender. Females have little worry about whether or not they will be successful in mating. However this experience can be the most important moment of a male luna moths life. Because of this they will stop at nothing to find the female whose pheromones they picked up on.
Behavioral Differences
Although luna moths are one of the biggest moths in North America the largest is actually the cecropia moth.
After breeding females will no longer have any interest in mating. Their mission has been accomplished and now that their eggs are fertilized another journey begins. Females will quietly find appropriate places to lay their eggs before eventually slowing down and dying.
Males on the other hand will attempt to mate with as many females as they possibly can before their time on Earth is up. After successfully or unsuccessfully mating with a female theyll go on
to any others in the area they can find. This process will repeat until they deplete their energy and pass away.
Final Thoughts
Behavioral differences between male and female luna moths may be harder to observe than physical ones unless youre someone who works closely with them in captivity. If youre lucky enough to see a luna moth in the wild you may only catch a quick glimpse of it before it flutters away. However these tips and tricks will help you determine its gender at a glance so a glimpse is all youll need!