This fantastic moth was hanging out in our laundry room today. It’s so big I was a bit startled when I first saw it, and thought it might be a bird at first glance until I quickly saw that it flew like a moth or butterfly.

First it landed on something on a high storage shelf. Joel got close with a tape measure so you can see how big it was.
After some hunting around on the net we finally figured out that this is a male Black Witch Moth. In some cultures it is supposed to be bad luck or a harbinger of death. They are nocturnal and sure enough, when I went back to look for it at dusk, it had flown away.
There always seems to be something new and interesting around here, and usually something really beautiful! It was also interesting trying to identify it because I came across many other photos of fantastic moths that can be found in this area. I will continue to keep my eyes open and a camera close at hand.
While we’re sitting out on the porch at dusk and flying critters come by sometimes it’s difficult to tell whether it’s a moth, bird or bat. All the same, we’re used to them all by now. Great capture. 🙂
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Oh yes, especially at dusk when it’s hard to see. This one made it very easy for me though, landing where I could take good photos or I never would have identified it.
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