Giant black witch moth usually found in South America spotted in Chicago, experts say

A giant moth found in Chicago on Friday is far from home.

Eric Allix Rogers snapped a photo of the black witch moth when it landed on the door to his apartment building, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“I’d never seen anything like that before,” he said, according to the newspaper. “It was enormous.”

Experts say the black witch moth is usually found in Central and South America, WMAQ reported. It can measure up to seven inches across and is often mistaken for a bat.

It’s Chicago’s first recorded sighting of the moth in almost 15 years, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Legend is split over whether that’s a good thing.

“In some parts of the world the folklore is that they’re a harbinger of death and bad luck, but in other parts of the world it’s considered good luck if the black witch comes into your house,” Peggy Notebaert Nature Musuem chief curator Doug Taron said, according to WMAQ. “It’s often thought that it means you’re going to come into some money.”

The moth’s wings display intricate designs in varied shades of brown.

“It’s got some pretty groovy patterns, I mean, mostly browns and grays, but it’s got a couple of big eye spots and a bunch of wavy lines,” Rogers said, according to WBBM.

While the moth has been cause for excitement, Rogers says some scientists he’s spoken with are concerned the moth may not know what to eat since it’s so far from its native habitat, WBBM reported.

This story was originally published July 2, 2019 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Giant black witch moth usually found in South America spotted in Chicago, experts say."