# What was that insect I saw? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 8, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187 "2011-05-08T20:18:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/1 "2011-05-08T20:18:02Z")
Coming out of the gym the other morning, I noticed a strange insect on the wall by the door. It was pouring raining, or I would have gone to the car for my phone and taken a picture, so I can only describe it. It looked just like a ray you’d see in the ocean, but it was green like a mantis. It was about 5 inches long including the tail. I’ve never seen anything like it. Any ideas? I’m in Charlotte, NC btw. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/2 "2011-05-08T20:30:07Z")
Lunar moth? ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/3 "2011-05-08T21:03:00Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Lunar moth? That could be it. This [image](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6L8xZs4-BI0/TBNO_zXm_QI/AAAAAAAAD-I/6hD56YGsn9o/s1600/Luna-Moth-LeCroy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://prittimoth.blogspot.com/2010/06/luna-moth.html&usg=__IoeLZwefOWNg3ENP-4DRaRrzelM=&h=675&w=640&sz=107&hl=en&start=25&zoom=1&tbnid=lXKYO1lv1v-D2M:&tbnh=144&tbnw=183&ei=ogTHTZzuNo3rgQeZ_tjLBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlunar%2Bmoth%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D841%26bih%3D820%26tbm%3Disch0%2C1438&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=385&vpy=248&dur=357&hovh=198&hovw=188&tx=114&ty=86&page=3&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:25&biw=841&bih=820) looks closest. Not exact, but pretty close. The wings were more rounded and the tail looked barbed like some rays. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/4 "2011-05-08T21:12:16Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > That could be it. This [image](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6L8xZs4-BI0/TBNO_zXm_QI/AAAAAAAAD-I/6hD56YGsn9o/s1600/Luna-Moth-LeCroy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://prittimoth.blogspot.com/2010/06/luna-moth.html&usg=__IoeLZwefOWNg3ENP-4DRaRrzelM=&h=675&w=640&sz=107&hl=en&start=25&zoom=1&tbnid=lXKYO1lv1v-D2M:&tbnh=144&tbnw=183&ei=ogTHTZzuNo3rgQeZ_tjLBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlunar%2Bmoth%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D841%26bih%3D820%26tbm%3Disch0%2C1438&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=385&vpy=248&dur=357&hovh=198&hovw=188&tx=114&ty=86&page=3&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:25&biw=841&bih=820) looks closest. Not exact, but pretty close. The wings were more rounded and the tail looked barbed like some rays. Shudder…well not really. I mean that’s pretty cool looking picture. But IRL a moth the size of a bird would be met with gunshots or fire or me shrieking into the sunset…or otherwise not standing around being curious. I take that back, I would be pretty curious, but from a distance. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/5 "2011-05-08T22:06:11Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Shudder…well not really. I mean that’s pretty cool looking picture. But IRL a moth the size of a bird would be met with gunshots or fire or me shrieking into the sunset…or otherwise not standing around being curious. > > I take that back, I would be pretty curious, but from a distance. Oh, no, they’re beautiful! And very friendly. They’ll perch on your finger for as long as you care to hold them. Really, they’re no more scary than a butterfly. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/6 "2011-05-08T22:15:42Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Lunar moth? Actually [Luna Moth.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_moth) ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/7 "2011-05-08T22:25:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually [Luna Moth.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_moth) The images on that page were much more butterfly-like than what I saw. It was more shaped like [this.](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.elasmodiver.com/Sharkive%2520images/Atlantic%2520Stingray%2520100.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.elasmodiver.com/atlantic_stingray.htm&h=399&w=600&sz=113&tbnid=YjT_dvweT9IvjM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dstingray%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=stingray&usg=__7lLlz2ComLENDZHdLrOxyDX4ZYc=&sa=X&ei=KBjHTcq_D4nUgQfJl_HKBA&ved=0CDUQ9QEwAQ) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/8 "2011-05-08T22:27:24Z")
Even though you’ve gotten an answer, I’m going to move this to GQ anyway. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/9 "2011-05-08T22:33:43Z")
Luna moths really don’t usually spread their wings out butterfly-like, the way they do in the Lunesta Commercials. When resting, they look more like [this](http://static-wtb.cheshirecat.net/images/luna_lynne_texas.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/10 "2011-05-08T22:45:08Z")
Yes, that’s much closer to what I saw. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-insect-i-saw/581187/11 "2011-05-08T23:27:38Z")
The Lunesta commercials also get the antennae all wrong.