Black Witch Moth (Terry W Johnson)

By Terry W. Johnson

One of the rarest moths seen in Georgia is the black witch (Ascalapha odorata). It is so rare that even many folks who enjoy watching and photographing moths in the Peach State have never, or will ever, spotted one.

Personally, I had just about given up hope of ever catching a glimpse of a black witch. However, a few weeks ago, when a friend called early one morning to ask if I wanted to see a black witch that was trapped in his garage, I could hardly believe what he was saying. Needless to say, I quickly dressed, grabbed my camera, jumped into my car and bee-lined it to my friend’s Monroe County home.

When I arrived, he ushered me into the garage and pointed to a very large moth resting on the windshield wipers of his car. My seemingly impossible quest to see a black witch was over.
Even more remarkable is this moth’s appearance came only days after a mutual friend found one roosting under the roof of a shed near her home in neighboring Lamar County. Since then she has found at least two more black witches near her house.
It should be noted that all four moths were males.

There are three reasons why the black witch is such a special moth: It is extremely large, has the propensity to travel long distances and is the subject of a host of legends.

The black witch is a dark moth with pointed wings. In flight, it is often mistaken for a bat. It has a wingspan that ranges from 6.6 to 7 inches. In fact, its wingspan is wider than a dollar bill is long. This earns the moth the title of being the largest insect found in the continental U.S.

Females are bigger than males. Females also display a pale pink scalloped band across their upper wings. Each of the moth’s forewings is adorned with a distinctive comma-shaped eyespot.
The breeding range of the black witch extends from the extreme southern portions of Florida and Texas on south into Brazil, where the moth breeds throughout the year.

For reasons that are not fully understood, when the rainy season commences in Mexico, an untold number of the giant moths migrate far from their breeding grounds. Consequently, from June into October they magically appear in such far-flung places as most of the contiguous U.S., as well as parts of Canada including Ontario and the Maritimes provinces. Black witches have even made it all the way Hawaii and Africa. On two occasions, these long-distance travelers were seen over the Atlantic Ocean 2,000 miles east of South America. Many times, they have been sighted on oil drilling platforms scattered across the Gulf of Mexico.
Here in Georgia, as late as the mid-1990s only five black witches had been recorded. Since then, however, the list has swelled to include black witches found in such places as Thomaston (no less than two), Ringgold, Jonesboro, Columbus and now Barnesville and Forsyth. During the past few weeks, a homeowner in Albany reported finding one.

Unlike some moths, black witches feed as adults. The adults are fond of tree juices. However, they are also known to eat bananas.
The black witch is a night-flying moth. They are attracted to the bright lights of stores, parking lots and security lights outside houses. They are also attracted to black lights set out by folks trying to attract and photograph moths at night. Fortunately, for those trying to get a close look at this amazing insect, these moths are typically very approachable. 

During the day, black witches usually roost in variety of locations away from the glare of the sun, such as in carports, garages under the eaves of houses, even beneath cars and other machines. Black witches that stray far from home will often remain at a location for only a day or two before vanishing into the night.

For some reason, the black witch has long been associated myths relating to death. Consequently, it is not surprising that Ted Tally, in his novel “The Silence of the Lambs,” wrote that the killer left a black witch moth pupa with each of his victims. (However, in the poster advertising the film based on the novel, it was replaced with the more sinister-looking pupa of a death-head moth.)

In the Caribbean and areas of Mexico, some people share the belief that seeing a black witch is an omen that somebody is going to die. In fact, since the reign of the Aztecs, the black witch has been known as the butterfly of death. There are also a number of variations of this theme. For example, some believe that death will follow only if all four corners of a house are visited by the moth.

On a more pleasing note, others firmly believe that black witches represent the souls of their dearly departed that have simply returned for one last farewell. Other myths range from seeing a black witch means that somebody has put a curse on the person who spots it to the belief that if a black witch flies over your head, you will lose your hair.

More cheerful is that some in Mexico believe that seeing a black witch can bring good luck. In the Bahamas, the black witch is often called the money moth. A modern version of the myth is a black witch appearing means you will win a lottery. 

As for me, since seeing my first black witch, unfortunately I have not won the lottery. Of course, since my hair was already falling out before then, perhaps one flew over my head years ago and I did not realize it.

Anyway, I hope I see another and that you see your first. To some, such a sighting ranks up there with finding a new wildflower, seeing a new species of bird at your feeders or watching a flock of green-winged teal zip past your duck blind. Yes, the black witch moth is indeed special!

Terry W. Johnson is a retired DNR program manager and executive director of TERN, the Wildlife Conservation Section’s friends group. Check out past columns, his Backyard Wildlife Connection blog and his book “A Journey of Discovery: Monroe County Outdoors.” Permission is required to reprint his columns.