'Essential' workers: 4 more things to know about the miller moth migration in Pueblo

It might be a few days, weeks or longer until the last miller moth leaves Colorado's Front Range to join the others who've made their way west toward the mountains. But until then, a local entomologist thinks there's a few more things we should know about them during their stay. 

The Chieftain recently spoke with Moussa Diawara, an entomology and toxicology professor at Colorado State University Pueblo, to learn more about the moths visiting Pueblo and other Front Range cities and the role they play in the ecosystem. 

Swatting moths might make a mess 

Moths belong to the order lepidoptera, which means “scaly winged.” The scales are what give moths and other insects such as butterflies their coloration. Those minuscule scales appear as dust if you manage to touch their wings or swat at them. 

That swatting action forces the moth to lose its scales — that's why you’ll find dust-like marks on clothes, curtains or other furnishings if you swat one on those surfaces. 

That only happens if you disturb the moth, however. 

“If you don’t touch it, it’s not going to stain anything on its own,” Diawara said. 

More:Here's what to know about those moths that are flying about in Pueblo

The moth migration in Pueblo is no campout 

It might seem like the same moths are swarming around or inside your home for days on end. Although that can be true for a small number of them, it’s more likely that new moths are taking the place of others as they continue their mass migration, Diawara said. 

“They pause to rest a little bit,” he said. “It’s not like they’re just camping. The quicker they get to the mountains, it’s safer for them.” 

Some miller moths are nocturnal and can navigate and direct themselves during the night, and different groups are moving together, Diawara added. He suspects there might be fewer moths around this year compared to previous years, though that's based solely on his own observations.

What’s with all those birds chasing moths at intersections? 

If you've stopped at an intersection recently, you may have seen handfuls — or even scores — of birds concentrated in the area. The reason there are so many birds, often flying erratically, is that they’re feeding on moths that may have been hiding in a nearby tree or under a vehicle. 

Trees can be effective hiding spots for months during the day, Diawara said. So if there’s any tree or nearby bush, expect the moths to attempt to flee from those birds, which are likely waiting for them and know where they are, he said. 

Moths play a 'major' ecological role  

Moths pollinate flowers, plants and crops such as alfalfa, especially at their migratory destination, the mountains. They help perform a key function that can lead to a healthy ecosystem.

In the early stages of their development, moths are a food source for beetles, birds and other insects or animals. When they mature to adulthood, they become a food source for bats, birds and bears.

Because of the important role they play in our environment, Diawara believes it’s time for perceptions about moths to change.

“They play a major ecological role, and they maintain what we refer to as the balance of nature,” Diawara said. 

Insects like moths are instrumental in helping maintain that balance, he added. For example, mosquitos also tend to have a negative perception, but mosquito larvae are a food source for some aquatic animals such as fish. 

Remove the larvae, and a chain of disruption could begin. 

“You cannot remove one element of nature, whether that’s a plant or animal, without completely disrupting that balance because you’re going to disrupt another species,” Diawara said. “The adverse impact on that species is going to impact another species. Therefore, you lose this diversity, and in any society or population, diversity is the source of strength.” 

Instead of viewing them as a nuisance, Diawara encourages people to see the moths and their annual journey to the mountains as “essential” to Colorado's ecosystem.

“We need them to beautify Colorado to maintain the health of our mountain vegetation and ecosystem,” Diawara said.

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites.