Hoping to get some help from people who have experience with Luna moths! The middle of last Sept, I had a luna moth caterpillar cocoon in some of my sweet gum leaves. I took the cocoon inside and when it didn't emerge, I assumed it was over-wintering. Now that it's the end of May I figured the pupa was dead... it never moved when shook and didn't bounce back when lightly pressed like I read it should. I was curious and decided it open the cocoon to see the pupa. I saw this partially and beautifully formed luna moth still halfway in a dry and flaky chrysalis. I thought it just didn't make it and put it in my cabinet thinking I'd cast it in resin eventually. It bothered me thinking about how heavy and formed the moth looked..and I went once again to Google to research. This is when I found a page that went more in depth of overwintering with diapause and said it can take up to 9 months to emerge. I am absolutely heart crushed. Did I just kill this beauty? Was she already dead because exposed? Is she still alive and dormant? Just in case, I wrapped her back up in her cocoon and closed it with some wet paper towel to keep it moist... but I can't find any more information. Can anyone give me info on what you think happened and where I can go from here? I'm absolutely sick about it.
