Miller Moths: Friend or Foe?

You know when summer is about to start across the Rocky Mountain front range. You hear sprinklers start to fire up in your neighborhood. You master layers (dress warm in the morning and late night, but strip some layers during the day unless you want to sweat to death).

The sun sets later and later over the mountains.

And the dreaded miller moth invasion inevitably occurs.

Every year, roughly mid-May to early June, there are more moths flittering about your light bulbs inside than you can even count. They get so annoying, you may be tempted to swat them out of the air or outright smash them with a folder up magazine. But should you?

Related: What Are Those Reddish Spots Moths Leave Behind in Your House?

They're not harmful, and in fact, they're an important part of Colorado's ecosystem as they migrate through our area up into the mountains every year. Tempted as you may be to kill them, it's often just better (not to mention cleaner and easier) if you just catch them in your hand and free them outside.

They don't bite or sting. They may tickle a little bit. But they also don't lay eggs in your house or feast on clothes in your closet, contrary to popular belief. Only two moth species feast on clothes: the casemaking clothes moth and the webbing clothes moth. Both of those are very, very uncommon in Colorado.

Read More: What Are These Pesky Bugs You're Seeing all Over Colorado?

I used to get out the shop vac and run around the house sucking the miller moths out of the air when they got annoying. Now I just catch them and put them back outside. Can't blame a dude flying to the mountains for stopping by your house for a little Colorado hospitality. Even though they're super annoying.