Bewitched Black Witch Moth

7/15/2013

Black Witch Moth, Ascalapha odorata, moth, Hawaii, invertebrate, insects, large black moth, batlike moth, big moth,

The gorgeous Black Witch Moth, Ascalapha odorata. Photo permission from Dwight Fake on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14983560@N00/

Maybe you have had a similar experience: a bat flying around the lanai at night, only to reveal itself as one big moth. That was my introduction to the Black Witch Moth, Ascalapha odorata. Wow, that is an attention-getting moth (some reaching wingspans over six inches), and I loved it immediately! Who cares that it is also known in Mexico as Mariposa de la muerte, the Butterfly of Death, or in Jamaica as the Duppy bat, a lost soul that is not at rest. Not me. I prefer the Hawaiian version, in which it is purported to be the embodiment of a loved one saying their goodbyes. The people of the Mayan culture had a sense of humor about the black witch moth, calling it a Mah-ha-na, which translates into: "May I borrow your house?" I welcome the Black Witch Moth anytime. I appreciate the beautiful coloration of their wings. Though it appears at first to be a brownish-black, on closer inspection you can see the iridescent purples and that interesting spot on the forewing that looks like a comma, or the number nine.

The female tops that off with a whitish band across the back end of the wings. And these guys can fly. They are migratory on the mainland, leaving Mexico in the early summer when the rainy season begins and pushing northward. It is reported that they fly great distances at night, in only a few days. There have been sightings of the moths hundreds of miles off shore. By day, you might find them resting under the eaves, hiding from cardinals and mynahs, who find them to be a tasty snack. Host plants for egg-laying and caterpillar munching include the shower tree, monkeypod, and mango. It is believed that they live a mere three to four weeks as adults. That just makes their visits all the more special. I don't think of them as black witches... I think of them more like black magic.

Black witch moth, insects, Hawaii, moth, invertebrates, large black moth, big moth

Close up of the "comma" spot on the forewing. Photo permission from Michael Rymer on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38037974@N00/

21 Comments

Jessi

11/26/2013 07:37:16 am

I had one of these in my bathroom this morning and I too loved it. I safely caught it and set it free. It was an amazing creature.

Gary Dietrich

2/12/2014 04:38:13 pm

02/12/14 Just caught a female inside 12th floor condo. released unharmed.

Teacake

2/24/2014 02:48:59 pm

My father's funeral was on Tuesday. The moth was at our back door on Friday night. It was unbelievably beautiful.

Jeanne

2/25/2014 04:05:06 pm

Thanks for sharing that. How nice for the visit.

Carol

3/16/2014 07:14:46 am

I had my first visit the night before I started installing the wood floor in my new house in Hawaii. My husband was hauling that wood when he was killed in a vehicle accident 10 miles from home.

Jeanne

3/22/2014 05:43:46 pm

So glad you had that visit. Hope it softened your loss.

Chris

12/16/2014 01:44:41 pm

Amazing "little creature"! I just had a male apparently, as no white stripe, spend the day in my condo here in Naples, FL... ALOHA! and MAHALO for your site... I truly find the mysticism interesting, but spending a half hour on the floor just looking at this guy was great! Wish I had a better camera, but would love to share some pics and video with you.

Brent Hahn

12/25/2014 01:30:43 pm

I just had a visit from this impressive critter in my 11th story condo. Pretty gentle thing; after startling me she let me check-out her amazing wings before I escorted her to the lanai.

Chris

12/25/2014 10:05:49 pm

I am on the third floor, so apparently they don't pose much of a threat to aviation! Talk about startled, I have had Mexican Freetail Bats or some close relative in here, Caught with Tupperware and put outside mind you, and amazingly, they're quite a bit smaller than the moth. I released the moth, who went rather reluctantly, don't know why, my condo's a dump.

Michele

7/28/2015 04:41:55 am

We had one visit our courtyard here in Fallbrook, CA this weekend. I too thought it was a bat as it was flying erratically. She landed on the wall and stayed there to rest all day. Our 15 year old cat just crossed the rainbow bridge two weeks ago. I wonder if she was stopping by to say "Hello"!

Deidre

10/26/2015 10:53:31 pm

We are stunned by this new info, came to Hawaii to scatter my moms ashes after 10yrs of Alzheimer's....it was her favorite place plus being Japanese she always felt like it was home. We found it 2 days after spreading the ashes in our condo 27 floors up!!! Guess she was saying goodbye....aloha nui loa mom.....

Lei

11/29/2015 12:56:17 pm

- The visits by the moths are not mere coincidence and only now make sense. In 2012 (when my son/I lived alone subsequent to a restraining order served onto my estranged husband), my son/I did our usual early evening routine walk to the park. We exited the back door to the open garage and 2 HUGE moths (one black, the other dark brown w/stripe) were erratically flying in our open garage near our back door which terrified my son and I running out of the garage. I've NEVER seen moths like this in our neighborhood/home which we resided at for 12 years and they were HUGE, I thought they were small bats! We watched them hovering near the light so I turned off the garage light. Then they planted themselves over the back door. We left them alone hoping they would fly away during our walk but when we returned 20 minutes later, they were still there! I used the outside broom to brush/scare them away and again they erratically flew around but with enough time/distance for us to make a fast break through the back door! Later that evening, I exited the front entrance door to see whether moths had left and they sat high above on the side wall next to the back door. They were gone the next morning. I talked to neighbors about it who never saw black moths in our neighborhood. I also searched the internet to educate myself about these huge black moths.
- We moved in 2013, I heard thumping noises outside my 2nd floor master bedroom overlooking the golf course, Thought it was the wind at 1st but that would've made a howling noise. I drew the curtains open only to see the black moth (w/white stripe on back-female, mom?) flying erratically into the window and walls then it planted itself on a window pane. I watched it for a while. Again, our new residential area does not have moths..
- I had several visits since near my front door hearing a thumping noise initially then find the moth hovering at the top of the door. Both my son and I are more calm when seeing the moth and I just say hi to it, thank it for coming, wish it well.
- almost 2 weeks ago while driving out of a parking stall at Mililani Shopping Ctr with windows 1/2 open (breezy night), a huge black moth w/iridescent wings flew into my car flying erratically behind my sun visor, sitting on my angel trinket under my rear view mirror for a while then planted itself on the front dashboard/air bag area facing my passenger (Mexican, Fliipino, Austrian). What's the chances of that? Why my car? The car on my left had someone in it, why not their car? We did not see other moths in the area. I told my friend to stay calm and that it was either my or her ancestor visiting. I continued driving opening all windows hoping it would fly out but it didn't. I was getting the hibby-jibbies so I parked again. got out trying to calm nerves, my friend remained in the car fascinated w/the moth and took pics. I initially thought of driving home with windows closed and bringing the moth back to my neighborhood but dismissed that idea since the moth would've been too distracting and may cause an accident. I had to find a way to gently let it go, tried to put hand out so it could perch itself on my fingers, only then did it erratically fly near the front windshield again then found its way out the opened windows. The moth quickly ascended straight up then towards the mall and we lost sight of it.
- Last night @ approx. 11 pm, the neighborhood cat who rarely comes by (except if hungry and not fed by its master yet) stunned me when scaling my front gated screen door. I opened the door and pried the cat off the door and saw what she was trying to attack - the black moth hovering over my front door and which sat on my Welcome sign. I sat on the outdoor chair, took pics and tried to give a finger to perch the moth on my finger but it did not budge. It started to drizzle so I went outside w/my raincoat. I took pics w/my iPad, also replayed video clips sharing my son's basketball game and skillfulness with the moth and whispered thoughts/prayers to the moth so neighbors wouldn't think I'm going batty. It started to rain harder with only a narrow overhang eaves to allow moth to stay dry but I was getting wet. Said my good byes, went to sleep 2 am'ish. checked on it 1/2 hour later, it was still there. This morning, it was gone.
- The moth(s) visits when I am feeling great sorrow and pray relentlessly to God for help, guidance and wisdom during a very litigious divorce/custody battle and experiencing ongoing harassment and abuse from estranged husband. I also pray to my mother (deceased since 1997) telling her how much I miss her, thank her for who she was and all she taught me and wish that she would be there and/or give me signs/guide me during this turbulent season.
- would appreciate any thoughts, comments, advice
- mahalo

Jett

1/2/2016 10:00:30 pm

Tonight I was blessed with a large black moth above our front door. I immediately smiled and told my family grandma was here visiting.
It has been about two years since we were last visited. So very special.

Jason Moffatt link

2/7/2016 08:55:46 pm

Just had one fly into my office right now and it freaked me out. I too thought it was a bat. Thankfully I was able to guide it out a window and was able to find this post to find out what the heck it was.

Mahalo.

Kathy

10/23/2016 11:13:28 pm

I was just chased out of my bedroom by one. I am so freaked out but this article helps. I hope I didn't kill or injure it when I threw a tissue box at it :( I have to be up early so I will worry about tomorrow. For now I am sleeping on the couch

Gabriel Nerf

4/22/2017 01:31:35 am

I just received a letter from my stepfather, pulled it out of the mailbox at 1000 pm, with a cashier's check in it saying the money was from my mother's closed checking account. My stepfather split the checking account between me and my siblings, and he said the money was to be used to pay for dinner on Mother's Day. My mother passed 3 years ago.

So, why is this important to this article? Only 5 minutes after opening the letter, I saw an incredibly huge blackish/Gray moth outside my window. The biggest moth I've ever seen in my life! I went to the kitchen to grab my phone so I could try to take a picture, and it was gone. I decided to Google and find out what it was. I live in Hawaii, so I simply typed "moths in Hawaii". The first article in the list was this. When I read that in Hawaii it is the "embodiment of a loved one saying their goodbyes", the hair stood up on my arms and neck! I believe it was my mom saying hello/goodbye!

Thank you so much for this article!

Greatfully,

Gabriel Nerf

Lori

6/18/2017 03:40:38 am

Huge dark moth visited me 2 years ago the night before my grandma passed. 5 nights ago it made its appearance to anniversary the exact date and time of two years as a reminder of my grandmas passing 2 years ago. Then 3 nights later exact time.. it showed itself up again and flew from the night sky directly toward me as I walked out on my patio. I ran into the outside kitchen as it fluttered its wings in front of my face with just the screen door in between. I turned off the light and finally when I thought it was gone it was perched on my house door like an obedient pet. I had to finally use a wet paper towel ball to get it to move. Hopefully I didn't kill it as i seemed to be able to fly away although the powder from the wings rubbed off on the paper towel and my door. I felt bad because it came with good vibes and it was a sight to have the moth visit me againon the terms that it did

Stu and Sally

1/9/2018 09:02:35 pm

We had a 5" wingspan female arrive last night and she has been attached to our inside curtains all day. Perhaps she is resting from her California to Hawaii flight.

We thought she was a bat when she flew through our open lanai door in Waikiki last night.

Harmless, amazing and beautiful.

JoBu link

3/7/2018 08:19:41 pm

In Waikiki, woke up to a giant black bat moth (about 6" wide) on the bathroom mirror near the ceiling. Got a large screen type basket strainer and piece of cardboard to back it up and set if free on the lanai. The night before, a beloved long time client passed away at 92. Did it come to me so Mrs. C. could say goodbye? Who knows?

NANETTE

4/24/2018 10:59:32 pm

April 24, 2018. This morning this species appeared outside my bedroom window. With vigor and persistence, it fluttered for several
Minutes as though it were trying to get through the glass pane. I watched it the entire time, marveling at it’s velvety irridescent beauty.
I have been mourning the death of my son. He loved Hawaii and he is
The reason I am here. A magical synchronicity that gives me peace.

Joey

5/10/2018 06:53:17 am

I was eating dinner last night with friends outside on a bench in town. A huge black moth flew by our bench and it kept flying at me. I kept waving it away, but it just continued to fly at me. I eventually just sat there and it landed on mu shoulder and was staring at me. My friends were freaked out. It's eyes were so huge. Then it just flew away.
My grandma passed away about a year ago. I was really very close with her and helped my mom take care of her the last year or so until she was placed in hospice. They had her cremated and planned to spread her ashes at a beach on the island of Lana'i. I wasn't able to make it this past weekend and it's been on my mind....... Then I had a dream about her yesterday, and this evening this huge black moth lands on my shoulder :)

Bewitched Black Witch Moth

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Auntie Jeanne

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