AMERICAN FOKELORE What is the Mothman and where have there been sightings?

The creature was first reported in the area of West Virginia between 1966 and 1967 and the myth has continued

THE myth of the Mothman has been part of American fokelore since the 1960s.

Now a recent sighting of a what some people are saying is a winged man flying through the trees has sparked fears the creature is back.

What is the Mothman?
The Mothman is a legendary creature which was first seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia on November 12, 1966.

After two couples reported seeing a “man-sized bird” a few days later the story spread across the country.

Soon it became apparently connected to supernatural events after sightings, and was linked to the collapse of a bridge which killed 46 people.

The myth was written about extensively by Gray Barker in 1970, an America writer known for his books on UFOs and other paranormal phenomena, and John Keel in 1975.

It was then brought back to public attention after the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies starring Richard Gere.

An annual festival is devoted to the legend.

Where have the sightings been and what have people seen?
The first sighting is generally thought to have been on November 12, 1966, when five men who were digging a grave at a cemetery said they saw a man-like figure flow over their heads.

A few days later two couples near a World War II munitions plant said they had seen a large white creature with glowing red eyes.

They said it had been a large flying man with wings ten-foot wide and it followed their car.

Other people then reported similar sightings but the county sheriff George Johnson dismissed it as an unusually large heron.

A dog disappeared and television sets were disrupted – all of this was blamed on the creature.

After sightings throughout the next year the Silver Bridge collapsed on December 15, 1967, killing dozens of people.

This was linked to the Mothman, and the legend was cemented.

The mythological creature was featured in The Mothman Prophecies film starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney
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The mythological creature was featured in The Mothman Prophecies film starring Richard Gere and Laura LinneyCredit: BBC
What was the latest sighting?
The most recent sighting comes with creepy images of what looks like a winged man leaping between trees.

The photos have circulated in local media purporting to show the winged beast in Point Pleasant once again.

Local news reporter Katy Andersen tweeted the images asking followers: “MOTHMAN?! Caller says he saw Mothman while driving on Rt. 2 in Point Pleasant tonight. What do you think?”

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