No one has ever accused a luna moth of talking too much. For that matter, no luna moth has ever been guilty of gluttony. Aside from exceptionally good manners, this might have something to do with the fact that luna moths do not have mouths.

Found only in North America, the luna moth starts out as a very hungry caterpillar. While still in its larval phase, the creature spends every waking moment devouring the leaves of walnut, hickory, sweet gum, and paper birch trees. This goes on for about a month before the caterpillar is ready to build a cocoon.

About three weeks later, a luna moth emerges from the cocoon. Its beautiful green wings, adorned with spots that resemble large eyes, make it easy to identify. It isn’t what the moth has that makes it so interesting, however — it’s what it doesn’t have: a mouth or digestive system.

Once the moth emerges from its cocoon, it only has about a week left to live. With its mortality looming so large before it, the moth has no time for such trivialities as food. It spends its remaining days looking for a mate and ensuring the survival of the next generation.