Fact Check

Is This Really a ‘Nun Moth’?

Seen along the back of the head is what appeared to be an eerie face remniscent of the 2018 horror film, “The Nun.”

Published Aug 18, 2023

 (Photo via X user @tinyangelette)
Image Via Photo via X user @tinyangelette
Claim:
Viral photographs shared in 2023 accurately depicted what a “nun moth” looks like.
Context

While the nun moth is an authentic insect, viral images shared in 2023 did not accurately depict the species. In reality, such images were part of a “vast collection of artworks illustrating imaginary insects.”

A purported photograph shared to X (formerly Twitter) on Aug. 13, 2023, claimed to show "THE NUN MONTH" –  a flying insect characterized by an eerie face reminiscent of that seen on the cover of the 2018 horror film, "The Nun." 

 

Similar posts made their way to Reddit threads, also suggesting that "this actual butterfly" was a genuine, albeit nightmarish, insect: 

 

      This actual Butterfly belongs in this game somewhere lol
by      u/Unlucky-Ad-4333 in      HuntShowdown   

 

While the nun moth is an authentic insect, viral images shared in 2023 like the ones above did not accurately depict the species. In reality, these images were part of a "vast collection of artworks illustrating imaginary insects."

To come to this conclusion, Snopes conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens and found a video of the creature shared on Instagram on June 30, 2023, by the account @richardwilkinsonart. A caption suggested that the image was a piece of art and described it as being "really beautifully printed." 

 

The above video was also shared to TikTok by the account @arthropodaiconicus on June 30, 2023. A caption identified the artwork as being part of the collection "'Timorpersonidae - Insects Inspired by Classic Horror Cinema," which was released at the time the video was posted. Captions that accompanied the video on TikTok further confirmed that the "nun moth" image was a work of art, including "#imaginaryinsects" and "#insectart." 

Both the Instagram and TikTok accounts belong to Richard Wilkinson, an English artist and illustrator whose work is described as being "influenced by the art of pioneering natural history artists of the 18th and 19th century." 

"His work draws heavily on the scientific aesthetic of this era, but turns the microscope's focus instead onto the flora and fauna of modern popular culture," the About section on Wilkinson's website said. 

The image of the "nun moth" shared on social media was part of Wilkinson's first series, titled "Arthropoda iconicus." The series was described as "a vast collection of artworks illustrating imaginary insects (and a few other arthropods) which hold within them a resemblance to some specimen of popular culture - a film or TV character, a vehicle, a building, a shoe or a bag…"

In particular, the "nun moth" piece was a limited edition print titled, "Daemonis sanctimonialis" that retailed for £50.00.

Though Wilkinson's work is that of artistic fiction, the nun moth (scientific name Lymantria monacha) is a genuine species native to Eurasia, according to the U.S. National Invasive Species Information Center at the Department of Agriculture. The species is not currently believed to be established in the U.S. as of this publication, and below is a picture of the actual moth: 

(Photo by Melody Keena; USDA, Forest Service)

Snopes reached out to Wilkinson by email for further comment but did not receive a response at the time of this publication. We will update the article accordingly.

Sources

"About." RICHARD WILKINSON, https://richardwilkinson.art/about-1. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.

"Arthropoda Iconicus on TikTok." TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@arthropodaiconicus/video/7250521388375756059. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.

CABI. "Lymantria Monacha (Nun Moth)." CABI Compendium, vol. CABI Compendium, Jan. 2022, p. 31811. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.31811.

"Lymantria Monacha (Nun Moth)." CABI Compendium, vol. CABI Compendium, Jan. 2022, p. 31811. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.31811.

"Daemonis Sanctimonialis." RICHARD WILKINSON, https://richardwilkinson.art/shop/daemonis-sanctimonialis. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.

Evon, Dan. "Snopes Tips: A Guide To Performing Reverse Image Searches." Snopes, 22 Mar. 2022, https://www.snopes.com/articles/400681/how-to-perform-reverse-image-searches/.

gamerlessorange. "What the Hell Is This?" R/Bugidentification, 1 July 2023, www.reddit.com/r/bugidentification/comments/14nlt37/what_the_hell_is_this/.

"Https://Twitter.Com/Tinyangelette/Status/1690832769335857152." Twitter, https://twitter.com/tinyangelette/status/1690832769335857152. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.

Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuHxmRYNhPm/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.

"Nun Moth (Lymantria Monacha)." Invasive.Org, 22 Feb. 2011, http://www.invasive.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5431694.

"RICHARD WILKINSON." RICHARD WILKINSON, https://richardwilkinson.art. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.

"Shop." RICHARD WILKINSON, https://richardwilkinson.art/shop. Accessed 17 Aug. 2023.

The Nun. Directed by Corin Hardy, Atomic Monster, New Line Cinema, The Safran Company, 2018.

Unlucky-Ad-4333. "This Actual Butterfly Belongs in This Game Somewhere Lol." R/HuntShowdown, 7 July 2023, www.reddit.com/r/HuntShowdown/comments/14t7acx/this_actual_butterfly_belongs_in_this_game/.

Madison Dapcevich is a freelance contributor for Snopes.