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SALT LAKE CITY — If it seems lately like your home or business has been unusually inundated with moths, scientists say there's a reason.
Utah State University entomologist Diane Alston said Wednesday a mild winter in the Southwest has led to a bumper crop of Miller moths.
"We've had other years with large numbers, but nothing on the scale where we've had people calling and complaining," Alston said.
Alston said this year's cycle has produced the most Miller moths that she has seen in her 25 years in Utah.
"There were lots of the caterpillars feeding and being successful, so then now we're seeing the moths that have come from that caterpillar population," Alston said.
Utah State scientists have seen the evidence of the Miller moth invasion in their traps, set in places like Brigham City and Layton.
Alston said the moths won't stay in such large numbers throughout the warm months. She said they'll likely be noticeable for 4 to 5 weeks from their onset, then they will migrate to the mountains. She acknowledged there could be another surge of Miller moths in the fall.
Alston said the moths aren't harmful and aren't the kind that eat clothes. "The only problem they're causing right now is their sheer numbers and being a nuisance pest," she said.
The multitude of moths hasn't escaped the attention of Brigham City residents. Several residents said the moths were a nuisance in their homes. Jesse Rogers said they were drawn to his TV while he watches the news. "I've got them in my house where I've never had them before," he said. Steve Bennion said his cats liked to chase them.
"I've never had this kind of a problem," Bennion said.
Alston said one solution some scientists recommend is rigging a light above a bucket of soapy water. She said the moths would be attracted to the light, and then would in theory fall into the bucket and die. But she cautioned that this was a local solution and not likely to reduce the moth population.
Rogers said his daughter, Sunset, likes to kill the moths, and she offered some sage advice to adults who are scared.
"They shouldn't be because little kids aren't," she said.
