The typical Miller Moths that many Western Kansas families have seen in the past two summers, are not evident this year.

During the summer the army cutworms hide out under rocks in high, cool mountain slopes. In the fall, the moths return to the plains and lay their eggs in the soil near germinating cool season grasses, like wheat. Yet this summer, the moths are nowhere near the numbers they were the last few years.
“It’s hard to pin down one cause,” says J.P. Michaud the Associate Professor of Entomology at Kansas State University. The moths experience many different mortality factors at every stage of their life cycle from egg to winged adult. Up in the cool mountains, the adults are a major food source for grizzly bears. Disease in the soil can also be a factor for larvae and weather patterns can affect where moths arrive to lay their eggs. Because of their complex life cycle and migratory habits, the low numbers could be due to many factors.

“If there’s a big population, odds are next year won’t be as big.” Your home may still see the moths hovering around porch lights, but in no way is this year looking to bug you.