Miller Moth Invasion

If you noticed more miller moths flying around this spring, you weren’t alone. Many people took to social media to comment on the ubiquitous insects, but entomologists Whitney Cranshaw and Frank Peairs at CSU report that 2020 is actually an average moth year in terms of overall population. The past four years saw unusually low numbers, so the stark difference garnered a lot of attention.

Moths usually spread out over large areas in search of nectar. This year, however, we had a very late freeze and many flowering plants in wild areas lost their blooms. As a result, moths clustered in areas with intentional landscaping, where flowers are often protected from the elements by homeowners. This is known as the “oasis effect.”

Save for a few stragglers, miller moths have migrated to the mountains for now, but you can expect them back in September to lay their eggs.