Moth Invasion in Montana! Tips to Keep Them Out of the House

A couple of years ago it was a plague of grasshoppers that seemed to be swarming the Magic City. This summer, it looks like we're having an invasion of moths.

I don't know if it's been like this in your part of Yellowstone County but in my west end, every morning I've vacuumed up at least a couple dozen of them all over the house. At night, if the television is the only thing emitting light in the room there will be several attached to the screen.

And with a puppy in the house, it's a constant battle to keep her from eating every one of the sometimes dead moths.

According to reports from the Denverite, there's currently an infestation of Miller moths in Colorado that develop on the state's eastern plains before migrating west. Last year a large number of Miller moths were reported in the state by the Powder River Examiner.

In 2020, the Miller moths returned after "several down years" following a wet fall and a wet month of June, according to the Associated Press.

Cool and wet are perfect conditions for outbreaks of moths, and we've definitely had our fair share of both in Billings in the past month.

How do I get rid of moths in my house?
You can always do my method and suck them up with a vacuum, but that's a never-ending battle.

Some of the tricks to keep moths out of the house that I found around include:

• Trap them! Put a bucket of water with soap beneath a light or light bulb. If the moths fall, they'll be killed in your soapy solution. (from Colorado State University)
• We all know moths like light, so just simply keep your outdoor lights off that are near your doors at night. (from The Praire Homestead)
• Make sure to seal up any holes in your screens or spaces between your sliding glass doors. I've noticed moths hanging out in those areas, trying to slip through.
• Get a bug zapper. CLICK HERE for one I found on Amazon.