it’s called a witch moth Cultural Lore in the YucatanThis moth is deeply rooted in local history and folklore.In Maya, it is called X-mahan-nah, which translates roughly to “house-borrower” or “may I borrow your house” because of its habit of sheltering under eaves.In broader Mexican and Central American folklore, it is famously dubbed the “mariposa de la muerte” (butterfly of death). Superstition holds that if one flies into a home where someone is ill, it is an omen of death.