How to Raise a Lunar Moth Caterpillar

Place the Luna caterpillar eggs into a clear container and seal with a lid. Put them in an area where light will get to them, but away from direct sunlight.

Watch the eggs daily to check for hatching. You will see a small white larvae break free from its egg and more than likely starting to eat the egg for protein.

Put hatched larvae in a second container with a few mature leaves. Keep a lid on the second container. Get rid of any pieces of dry leaves that may have accrued and clean out any larvae droppings. Put walnut or sweet gum leaves -- which the Luna caterpillar usually live on in the wild -- in the container. If these types of leaves are unavailable, provide any sort of fresh foliage.

Allow the larvae to molt at least once before placing them in a larger glass jar with a lid. Place some small branches and walnut leaves in the jar so the caterpillars will have plenty to eat. Place the caterpillars in a larger gallon-sized glass jar when they become larger, usually after the fourth molting process. Continue cleaning droppings and replacing leaves every day. If you have several caterpillars, put them into a larger container like a glass aquarium.

Continue this process until your Luna moths go into their cocoons. Occasionally spray the glass jar with water to keep the environment humid.

Watch the cocoons carefully and when they become clear or dark, the moths are ready to come out of their cocoons. Release the moths after they have emerged from their cocoons.