Miller Moths and Their Annual, Strenuous Migration
Imagine being in a mountain biking competition in the middle of a dense forest and unruly kids keep sabotaging the signage. You’d get lost! Or worse, you could fall off a cliff. I agree, that was a horrible analogy, but that’s basically what’s happening to miller moths (Acronicta leporina) every year as they migrate east. And you guessed it, humans are those children.
Every year, the miller moths’ migration takes place between mid-May to mid-June and could extend to early July. As they travel, they provide food for birds, bats, predatory insects, and even cats and dogs. When they feed on nectar, they also pollinate flowers on the way. Their journey is also a useful one as miller moths serve as an essential source of food and fat for larger animals, like bears who need every bit of fat available to sustain months of hibernation…
