Hi all,
Only some of the moths seen in the current "outbreak" are Miller Moths sensu
stricto (Acronicta leporine); there are several other species that are also
migrating and emerging right now, including cutworms (Euxoa spp.), graphics
moths (Bulia spp.), etc. And this year's "outbreak" is not particularly large,
we just haven't seen an emergence in the past couple of years due to bad winter
storms and drought.
Cheers,
Nancy
____________________________________________
Dr. Nancy E. McIntyre
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Curator of Birds, Natural Science Research Laboratory
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
Tel. 806-834-7977
nancy.mcintyre@xxxxxxx<mailto:nancy.mcintyre@xxxxxxx>
http://myweb.ttu.edu/nmcintyr
From: leasbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <leasbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf
Of WILLIAM WENTHE
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2023 11:57 AM
To: leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [leasbirds] Moths
This email originated outside TTU. Please exercise
caution<https://askit.ttu.edu/phishing>!
Hi,
I'd love to be corrected or supplemented by those who know more, but I think
what we're seeing is an irruption of Miller Moths, which migrate from the
plains to the Rockies in spring. Some years there are big irruptions of them.
I remember this from 2013, when there was a big influx of them. They were even
hits on Youtube, when by chance someone in Colorado would leave a window open
and a light on, and suddenly have their house snowing with moths.
They are nocturnal, but maybe, this morning being overcast, they are more
active than usual?
I regret that I can't get out today and will probably miss the V-8 tomorrow.
Bill