Moth migration hits central Nebraska

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - In recent weeks, there’s been an influx of moths in central Nebraska, annoying Nebraskans by entering their homes and places of business.

Army Cutworm moths are migrating west to the Rocky Mountains, as they annually do for the summer months.

There are ways to combat these moths from entering your home.

“Closing curtains, turning off porch lights, outside lights that sort of thing can sort of help minimize the number that are gathering around your house and then consequently the number that sneaks in via cracks around doors or whatever,” said Kyle Koch, an Insect Diagnostician at UNL.

The moths are moving in massive numbers due to the dry weather the state has been having, causing the pollen the moths feed on to dry up faster.

While they can be nuisance, the moths play an integral part in the ecosystem of the Rockies during the summer.

“They’re actually a really important food source for bears when they go to the Rocky Mountains in the summer,” Koch explained. “They do have an interesting little ecological niche there.”

Koch also says the moths will migrate back east across Nebraska this Fall.

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