Monday, April 23, 2012

Moth Invasion

We are having a moth invasion. Got up at about 5am to let dogs out for a minute and when I opened the door there were a couple a dozen of the little cutworm moths waiting to come in. Of course I had turned on the light near the door so I could make sure I didn't let any of our 4 cats out. I sure did let in more moths than I wanted by turning on that light. One would have been to many.
And when the cats see a moth they go wild trying to catch it. They will do about anything to catch it, including going over, under, or through any thing in the house that is in their way. Things sitting on counters or tables may go flying when the cats knock them off chasing moths.
These cutworm moths seem to do their invasion attacks about every 8 years or so it seems to me. I seem to remember it happening in about 2006 or 7 and in 1996 or 7, and now. They are a nuisance to people, but food for lots of birds. But the worms that the moths produce eat a lot of vegetation. They cutworms are found around the base of trees and bushes a lot and can do damage to them.
Everytime I open the door to the hay shed hundreds fly out. Same with the garage door. My friend frequently leaves for work before dawn and said there were thousands maybe millions around each light down the streets.
Hope this doesn't last long.

5 comments:

  1. They are pretty bad in Albuquerque today. I'm afraid to open my mouth walking along the ditches!

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  2. I think we're having the same thing in Colfax County. I let my cats catch them and eat them. A healthy raw supplement to their diet, I hope. Do these moths eat wool?

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  3. Yep, ALL OVER the place, they are. I feel bad sucking them up with the vacuum cleaner but, otherwise, they are driving my cats nuts. Any idea how long this will last?

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  4. I'm using vacuum to suck them up too.

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  5. There are thousands of them around our house in the Sandia Mountains. It's crazy! I have to scoop them out of the water tanks so the horses, llamas and goats don't have to worry about getting them stuck on their noses as they try to get out.
    They are in my garage and my house. I hope they don't damage my fruit trees. And I hope they are gone soon!

    ~Lisa

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