Re: [cobirds] Ascalapha odorata (Black Witch Moth)

Just a few comments.  Black Witch moths are not all that rare in Colorado but certainly noteworthy when one sees one.  As a practicing entomologist/birder who spends a ton of time on the eastern plains, I have only found maybe 5 over the last 46 years.  I found one once in a Marietta, Ohio parking lot when I was in college in the late 60's and I saw one on a night baseball game field in Fort Collins in the 1980s.  When I ran out between innings to collect it, a woman in the stands screamed, "Don't touch it, it's a bat!!!!!!!!!!!".  "Thanks, maam, for your concern", I thought to myself.  I have seen dozens in insect collections from 4-H kids residing in eastern CO counties.  I know of landowners in the Lamar area who see at least one every summer (about this time in July), and have seen as many as 6 at one time on their properties.  There is a famous account of one on the snow atop Mount Evans on the 4th of July in the classic The Moth Book by WJ Holland.  We now think the likely origin of individual Black Witches reaching Colorado is south TX.  Larval food plants for caterpillars of this moth do not grow in CO.  Wind patterns were right to bring a large number of this spectacular moth, many of them surprisingly pristine, our way a couple weeks ago.  This received attention from the plant folks on their listserv which parallels COBIRDS.

If anyone sees a bird eating one, I'd love to hear about it. 

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

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From: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Carolyn S <caleahey@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2020 11:06 AM
To: Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Ascalapha odorata too in downtown Denver

 

Hello, I just needed to jump in here on the huge moth report - Ascalapha odorata.  I believe this is what I saw in downtown Denver about a decade ago (I know it's been awhile!).. going into the office building early morning at 17th and California, on the 17th side through the rotating door - a little bird with its wings totally spread out was for some reason clinging to the inside of one of the rotating doors a few inches above the ground.  Strange.. was it hurt or worse? When I got inside I immediately turned around and went back outside through the doors to get a closer look.. 

Wait this was NOT a bird, No, No it was actually a HUGE moth, HUGE -> the LARGEST I have ever seen!! It was just resting, not hurt or anything.  I went back inside and went up to the security guard to chat about it - he just nodded and laughed - Yes, he had definitely seen it and most everyone coming through that morning too.. I wondered if I should call the Denver Zoo or Butterfly Pavilion or someone - CPW to see if official folks should come out and capture to relocate it and based on the size it could even make the evening news! But later I learned that moths can indeed get that big..  I hope that leaving it be was the right move.. There are many urban animal and bug folks that adapt and seem thrive just fine and have their own chosen homes, shelters, and routines in the cement jungle..? So based on the size I believe it was this moth species.. who knew that moths could get actually as big as birds and live in the middle of cities??

On Monday, July 6, 2020 at 4:50:17 PM UTC-6, David Gulbenkian wrote:

I've bee emailing Ted Floyd about a rare moth he says he's dying to see.
Told him it had left, but now am trying to contact him to tell him it's still here!!
Have emailed him and left a message on his home phone, but don't have his cell.

He claims this moth is his #1 object to see in nature, so I'm sure he'll be grateful!

David Gulbenkian

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