Mothman Mythology (YES, MOTHMAN) with Jeff Wamsley

Red eyes. Ten-foot wings. And an absolute dumptruck. Let’s get to the bottom of the great American mythology of the world’s sexiest cryptid, Mothman. Haunting the hills of West Virginia in 1966-67, he vanished as fast as he flew. Point Pleasant-raised Jeff Wamsley is the owner/operator of the Mothman Museum and an expert in the legends of this creature. What’s the story? Who is telling it? Is Mothman real? What are some scientific explanations? Do other cultures see a Mothman? Is he even a moth? Is he even a man? Where did he go? Why do we want to see him? Who are the Men in Black? Also: why is he so caked up?

Listen via Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Ad-free episodes available by subscribing to SiriusXM Podcasts+. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Visit the Mothman Museum website

A donation went to save-the-academy.org 


Links to things we discussed:

Mothman, The Silver Bridge Collapse, and the Folklorization and Commemoration of Actual Events

UFO sightings: the Will Smith effect examined

The Aliens in Us and the Aliens Out There: Science Fiction in the Movies

A Die-Hard Issue: CIA's Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90 by Gerald K. Haines

1970 New York Times article: Collapse Of Bridge Laid To High Stress

The Thunderbird in Native American Rock Art. In: Anthropomorphic Images in Rock Art Paintings and Rock Carvings

Ford's historic Thunderbird nameplate returns to the future-product vault

Trump to Loosen Rules for Oil Firms on Methane, a Potent Warming Gas

West Virginia-Ohio Silver Bridge collapse remembered 55 years later

Roger Scarberry's 1957 Chevy

THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES [2002] - Official Trailer

CIA was 'extraordinarily' evasive with UFO scientist, new US files say

TNT Area aka McClintic Wildlife Management Area

The Collapse That Led To The National Bridge Inspection Standards: Point Pleasant Bridge - December 15, 1967

Thunderbird (mythology)

The Thunderbird in Native American Rock Art. In: Anthropomorphic Images in Rock Art Paintings and Rock Carvings

The biggest birds you can see in West Virginia

Rogollo Wing Hang glider

The Mothman of West Virginia: A case study in Legendary Storytelling


Other episodes you may enjoy:

Spooktober: Topics to Startle and Love

Teratology (MONSTERS)

Vampirology (VAMPIRES)

UFOlogy (UNEXPLAINED AERIAL PHENOMENA)

Disasterology (DISASTERS)

Museology (MUSEUMS)

Mythology (STORYTELLING)

Strigiformology (OWLS)

Ornithology (BIRDS)

Lepidopterology (BUTTERFLIES)

Psychedeliology (HALLUCINOGENS)

Cannabinology (MARIJUANA)


Ologies info:

400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Sponsors of Ologies

Transcripts and bleeped episodes

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!

Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth 

Transcripts by Aveline Malek

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

Next
Next

Broomology (BROOMS) with Cate O’Connell-Richards