Hello friends, today I want to share with you these images of an Ascalapha odorata, a curious moth that is quite common in many countries and has a somewhat negative reputation despite being very harmless and feeding on fruits and the sap of flowers and trees. Its color and large size, mysterious appearance, and solitary flying habits fill some people with fear, associating it with death, bad omens, and misfortune. This has led to it being known by different names depending on the region. Among these names, we can find: witch, ura, death’s butterfly, witch moth, tatagua. These beliefs date back even before the Spanish conquest and colonization.

In some South American countries, these beliefs are more deeply rooted, where the myth has been passed down from generation to generation that in the house where one of them lands, someone in the family will soon die. Other beliefs, much less common, on the contrary, speak of them bringing good luck and money.

It is common for them to accidentally get trapped inside houses because they are disoriented by the lights of the homes. This can become a big problem because in their attempt to escape, they bump into things and end up damaging their large wings, so it is common to see them fluttering clumsily and desperately near the ceiling. Adding to this the unfounded fear, it is true that they do not have it easy to survive near humans.

A Cuban Legend

I couldn’t help but talk about this legend because it undoubtedly captivates my imagination and curiosity. As I mentioned earlier, in Cuba, it is known by the Taíno word tatagua, so let’s talk about a story that dates back a long time.

Aipirí, a beautiful young woman and the envy of her village, loved to dance and sing. She was the main attraction at her tribe’s parties and caused admiration and envy in everyone. But when the young woman got married and had her children, her husband forbade her from behaving this way. She turned a deaf ear and began to sneak out of her house when her husband was hunting to continue enjoying her life. During those times, she left her children alone, and the children only cried and misbehaved. Mabuya, the lord of evil, tired and annoyed by the children’s crying, decided to turn them into poisonous bushes, today known as guao bushes, which cause swelling and itching upon contact with the skin. In contrast, he turned Aipirí into a tatagua and condemned her to wander alone in search of her lost children.

At this point, the story splits into two: those who believe that the presence of the tatagua is an omen of family misfortune and those who, sadly, see a mother fluttering in search of her children.

Beyond the Myths

All these unfounded negative beliefs and perceptions have put the species in danger. Therefore, let’s take a moment to reflect: there is no need to cause harm, let’s respect nature and be aware of how delicate many species are and how we can affect them with preconceived ideas.

If you encounter this species, please try not to handle it with your hands and avoid throwing objects at it or trying to chase it away, as its wings are very sensitive.

It is very easy to recognize: its large size, which can reach up to 17 cm, its brown color, and the characteristic pattern on its wings accompanied by a shape resembling a 9 or a comma.

Although I am not an expert, I could assure you that the specimen in the photograph is female because they are lighter in color than males and have that zigzag shape on their wings.

Death's Butterfly Category Information Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Lepidoptera Suborder Glossata Infraorder Heteroneura Superfamily Noctuoidea Family Erebidae Genus Ascalapha Species A. odorata Scientific Name Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Ascalapha agarista Cramer, 1777
Erebus marquesi Paulsen, 1871
Erebus odora L., 1758
Phalaena (Attacus) agarista Cramer, 1777
Phalaena (Bombyx) odora L., 1758
Phalaena odorata L., 1758

The content of this table is under the CC license and was extracted from here.

I sincerely want to thank you for taking the time to read this article. Your support means a lot to me and motivates me to continue sharing content that can be useful and interesting for you. If you found this article useful or enjoyed reading it, I would greatly appreciate your comments. Best wishes.