Mothman is a legendary creature that is part of West Virginia folklore. It is a humanoid creature that was reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area from November 15, 1966, to December 15, 1967. The creature is described as a black, 10-foot-tall creature with wings and red eyes. The first newspaper report of the creature was published in the Point Pleasant Register on November 16, 1966. The creature was introduced to a wider audience by Gray Barker in 1970 and was later popularized by John Keel in his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies, which claimed that there were paranormal events related to the sightings and a connection to the collapse of the Silver Bridge. The book was later adapted into a 2002 film, starring Richard Gere.

The Mothman has been allegedly sighted at other disastrous events since the bridge collapse, with people claiming to have seen the creature before earthquakes, tsunamis, and even the 9/11 terrorist attack. Some people believe that the creature is either bad luck or causing these disasters in some way, but others speculate that Mothman may be able to see into the future and appears to warn people of impending doom.

Despite the many sightings and stories, there is no concrete evidence that the Mothman exists. Some people believe that the sightings were due to misidentification of other animals, such as owls or birds. However, the legend of the Mothman has endured, and there is even a Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant and an annual festival dedicated to the creature.