#ascalapha odorata

[guaracoded]

The “harbinger of death and destruction” kept crashing against everything and refusing to go back outside for a bit

[dailybugfacts]

Having asked about the White Witch, I must now naturally ask: Got anythin for the Black Witch moth? (My sister actually got hit in the face with one of those once lmao)

Thank you again :D

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TODAY'S FACT IS

Did you know that the Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata) is the largest noctuid native to the continental US? Native to the southern US and down into Brazil, these moths often migrate north at the end of summer, even reaching as far as Lake Superior.

These beauties have some unfortunate folklore around them, as they are often seen as an omen of death or a lost soul returning to their loved ones.

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Photo by Susan Wise-Eagle

[prairie-ghosts]

By LucasVphotos

[burntpink]

took a picture of this black witch moth that showed up at my house and now that i know it has a beautiful blue reflection on its wings i regret not turning the flash on, but i was so scared of it getting frightened and flying straight at my face

[jadafitch]

Black Witch Moth vinyl stickers! Just added to my Etsy shop. $3, comes with a postcard.

[moss-moths-eyes-and-whimsy]

purple :3 i love moths very much i would love to learn abt more ^^

You got a Ascalapha Odorata moth!

also known as a Black Witch moth, these guys are seen as symbols of death in multiple cultures! also, some people believe that they can curse people, and if one flies over your head, your hair will fall out :3

here’s the picture larger for your viewing pleasure

[your-local-stranger-gremlin]

Black Witch Moth

Scientific name: Ascalapha odorata

Lifespan: Only a few weeks :(

Size: They can have a wingspan of up to 7 inches!

Diet: Larvae eat the leaves of legumes; adults eat overripe rainforest fruit

Habitat: Rainforest

(Images of various life stages below)

Eggs:

Pupa:

Grown:

[moths-daily]

Moth Of The Day #28

Black Witch Moth

Ascalapha odorata

From the erebidae family. They have a wingspan of 12-24 mm. They can be found in the United States and Central America. They are a nocturnal moth that has had a lot of folklore surrounded around it, being represented as a harbringer of death in Mexican and Caribbean cultures.