Mothman
Field Report
Mothman is one of America’s most iconic cryptids, first reported in 1966 around Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Witnesses described a tall, human-shaped figure with enormous wings and glowing red eyes, often seen perched on bridges or gliding silently above tree lines. The phenomenon climaxed with the tragic 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge, after which sightings largely ceased—cementing Mothman as a harbinger of disaster in popular imagination. Skeptics attribute accounts to sandhill cranes or other large birds, distorted by low light and fear. Yet Mothman has since evolved into a powerful cultural figure, inspiring festivals, books, and films that explore the uneasy border between collective anxiety and unexplained phenomena.
Classification
Type:Flying Cryptid
Location:United States, West Virginia, Point Pleasant
Traits:Man-sized, dark wings, glowing red eyes, silent glide, sudden appearances
Threat Assessment
Danger Level: 8.2
First Reported: 1966
Sightings: 25
Reveal Full Dossier
Behavioral Patterns
It perches on bridges or tall buildings, wings folded tight, eyes glowing faintly. When engines roar by, it launches without effort into the dark.
Folklore & Origins
Appalachian folk tales describe it as a harbinger sent by nature spirits before tragedy.
Media Documentation
Widely documented by West Virginia newspapers since the 1960s. Appears in countless books, movies, and festivals. Treated as local legend with lasting tourism impact.
Hoax Analysis
Mothman is a well-known cryptid from West Virginia with some reports later discredited or explained as hoaxes, though the legend persists.