Weather Radar Picks Up Miller Moth Migration in Colorado
Colorado has been experiencing a great invasion of Miller moths this May and residents are noticing an unusually high amount of these fluttering bugs around the region.
Miller moth migration season typically starts between May and June, when these pollinators begin seeking flowering plants found at higher elevations. However, the recent rainstorms and wildfire smoke in Colorado have altered the moths' usual migration pattern. As a result, the moths are here sooner than expected - and brace yourselves, because even more of them are on the way.
In fact, so many Miller moths are in Colorado lately, their flight presence appeared as a giant mass on the US National Weather Service radar last week.
That's a lot of moths!
Residents across the Front Range have been observing the obvious increase, noting their presence in unexpected places like the cabinets, closets, and entryways. According to researchers at Colorado State University, Miller moths are most active at night, when they emerge from their shelters to seek food. Small cracks in the doorways of homes, garages, and cars make perfect hiding spots for these tiny bugs.
This isn't the first time a group of insects has been caught on the radar in Colorado. Several years ago, a large number of butterflies migrating through the state also showed up in a similar way.