Black Witch Moth - A beautiful moth that people in Latin America believe is a harbinger of death

This is a black witch moth (Ascalapha odorata). This moth is steeped in Latin American folklore and is associated with death. Here in Costa Rica, it is called the "mariposa de la muerte" or the butterfly of the dead. People here believe that if one of these moths flies into a home where someone is sick, that ill person will die. These are huge moths with a wingspan of up to 7 inches! They also have a large range and can be found, depending on the time of year, from the US/Canadian border south to Argentina.