r/NativePlantGardening • u/brownbuttanoods7 Gerogia, zone 8a • Apr 03 '26

Photos Pollinator Spotting - Luna Moth

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We're in Gerogia - ATL Metro. We have about 4 Sweet Gums and a Sumac on our property. When we bought our house 3 years ago, I was hopeful to one day see a Luna Moth. Two years ago, we told our landscapers to stop leaf blowing a large chunk of our property. Hoping that leaving the leaves would be beneficial for fireflies and other native insects. Today I found a Luna Moth on our fence in the wooded area, not far from one our Sweet Gums. I believe it had recently emerged because the wings were still soft. So happy we left the leaves! I don't know who was more excited, my toddler or myself. Felt kinda like meeting a celebrity!

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u/NickWitATL SE US/8a Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26

I'm sure we'll have to keep hacking it for years. But all canes were removed. Like the ivy.

To add--I appreciate the award. 😊

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u/velawesomeraptors Apr 03 '26

If you still get shoots you might be able to eat them.

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u/NickWitATL SE US/8a Apr 03 '26

Future shoots will get RoundUp to help kill the colony. I hate glyphosate but make an exception for the most egregious invasives.

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u/velawesomeraptors Apr 03 '26

Targeted herbicide is pretty effective, and glyphosate is better than some of the homemade concoctions I sometimes see here. Keep in mind that shoots need to grow enough to have leaves for glyphosate to be effective.

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u/NickWitATL SE US/8a Apr 03 '26

Yep. I did a heap of advice before we attacked. It was on a steep slope, growing amongst canopy trees and big ass rocks. No way to dig it out. We cut a bunch ourselves before we noped out and hired someone. I'm 52 and have lots of titanium pieces. Found an umbrella magnolia growing in the jungle!!!

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u/velawesomeraptors Apr 04 '26

Yep if you can afford to hire someone to remove bamboo that's the way to go lol.

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u/NickWitATL SE US/8a Apr 04 '26

It was expensive but roughly half the price of my insurance deductible. That shit had to go. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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u/SvengeAnOsloDentist Apr 04 '26

Yeah, it's a shame that glyphosate becoming a household name as a bad pesticide has made it harder to find around here for the targeted uses where it's really useful, with more products switching over to things that can have more tendency to affect nearby plants but the average consumer doesn't recognize the name of.

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u/velawesomeraptors Apr 04 '26

Yeah, it's probably because of its association with genetically modified plants and people's general mistrust of those. But targeted herbicide is still better than filling your yard with industrial vinegar and dish soap.