What’s miller moth season going to be like this year?

DENVER (KDVR) — It’s that time of year again when moths migrate from Colorado’s Eastern Plains to the mountains.

Coloradans will not soon forget the moth swarms of last summer, but how will the moths be this go around? Entomologists may have some good news.

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First of all, they said it seems they are right on schedule.

“This year we’re anticipating middle, probably closer to the end of May,” said Lisa Mason, a horticulture specialist for Colorado State University Extension in Arapahoe County.

Over the winter, the caterpillars hatched on the alfalfa plants on the flatlands, and by spring, they were ready to journey to the mountains to find food and cooler weather.

“Moths do not like hot weather,” Mason said. “If we have a hot summer right away, those moths are probably going to continue their journey to the mountains.”

If it’s still cool along the Front Range with an abundance of blooming flowers, they will usually stick around for a few weeks.

“Then they will move on. Continue their journey,” Mason said.

Another reason for moths sticking around could be the multitude of blooming flowers on the Front Range right now. Experts with the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster said this is great news for the plants.

“They take food from the flowers, and at the same time they pollinate them making fruits and helping plants thrive,” said Francisco Garcia Bulle, entomology manager for the pavilion. “A lot of people think of them as a nuisance, but they’re actually really, really important animals.”

This is because they are one of the few bugs that pollinate plants at night.

“Many plants … will only flower in the night. And they need these certain pollinators to thrive and to live out in the ecosystem,” Garcia Bulle said.

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Entomologists said they are also an important food source for other animals. Since they said there will not be as many moths this time around as last year, they are encouraging folks not to kill them if they can.

“The best that you can do for them is try to take them in a small container, net them and just release them in the night so they can make their way through Colorado and be happy in the ecosystem,” Garcia Bulle said.

If you would rather not catch them, experts shared tips on how to keep them out of your house in the first place.

“They guide themselves with the moon,” Garcia Bulle said. “So we recommend putting your lights down or trying to turn them off early in the night.”

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This means keeping porch and outside lights off and being careful when entering or exiting your home when interior lights are on.

Mason suggested checking your screens and the outside of your home before moth season begins.

“If you have entrances from the outside that they can get in, sealing those up as best as possible is going to keep them out. So fixing broken screens, doors and windows closed … if you can, put weather stripping on the base of your door,” Mason said.

The more planning and preparation work done now could be worth the headache of later acquiring a bunch of moths flying around the home.

“All those little things will make an impact and it will reduce the entrances that they have to get into your home,” Mason said.

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