COLORADO, USA — It's miller moth season, and we can expect more of them than usual this year.
The insects' year-long migration pattern takes them to the Front Range in May and June between stops on the Eastern Plains and the high country.
A Next with Kyle Clark viewer from the Eastern Plains was curious about the moth outlook this year, so we talked to Butterfly Pavilion Chief Operating Officer Mary Ann Colley.
She said it all depends on the weather and that with the weather we've had, there's a very good chance we'll see plenty of moths this year.
"If the weather is supportive of these miller moths then we'll see really good numbers, especially in the spring. So during the spring, if we have really dry or sometimes wet weather, but not too cold we'll see really ample numbers of miller moths being really successful."
What is the deal with miller moths and electric lights?
Miller moths are notorious for being attracted to electric lights. So why is that? Colley answered that question for us, as well.
"When they're flying they follow using the moon as basically their compass," she said. "So when there are additional lights, that really distracts them so they get confused. Everyone's seen a moth flying around a porch light and they're basically trying to organize in their mind from a compass perspective that this is my directional North Star, if you will, and I'm going to keep going towards the North Star but I'm going to keep hitting the North Star."
Mystery solved.
Why purpose do miller moths serve?
Miller moths may be annoying, but they do serve a purpose. They're delicious for birds and bears, making them vital to our ecosystem.
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