Learn how to identify a luna moth. Caterpillars go through several instars before creating a cocoon. These instars range from white-and-black striping to green with blue spots on the back.

The big, pale green swallow-tailed luna moth is an example of all of ... the ultronia’s red and black, and the Io moth’s huge, eye-like spots – which are probably meant to scare away predators.

This story appears in the June 2016 issue of National Geographic magazine. Light green, long winged, and roughly the size of a playing card, the luna moth is a striking creature. It’s a clever ...