Mothapalooza and the Black Witch

 

Another Mothapalooza is in the books, and it was great. This one was based at Shawnee State Park Lodge in the midst of Shawnee State Forest in Scioto County, Ohio. About 140 people (plus guides, speakers, and organizers) came from nine states, including Washington and Rhode Island.

There were scads of moths and other biodiversity. Friday night was especially good, and a standout mothing station was high on a ridge at Copperhead Fire Tower. This Black Witch (Ascalapha odorata) turned up there (great find by Yann), and another turned up the same night at another locale. Black Witches are largely tropical, ranging from southern Florida and Texas south into northern South America.

Witches are powerful flyers and regularly move northward in summer and fall, with one having made it all of the way to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A few generally turn up each year in Ohio, but records seem to be on the increase. Diana Malas in Dayton had one last Friday night as well.

This is a huge moth, with a wingspan on 9.5 inches. A truly impressive beast!