Miller Moths

(Pic added Thur 25 Jun 09. Caught one in the screen door in all his ew-icky-yuckness.)

Miller moth season again. Yeah, they get in the house. They like my bright computer screen and sometimes fly in my face.
Ick, ew, yuck.

Googling it...(Colorado has a problem with miller moths, evidently.)

The thing about trying to identify is that all the pics/illustrations show moths with open wings. I never see them that way. When they aren't fluttering around they are sitting with their wings shut and look very dark to black. If I ever get the opportunity, I'll try getting a good pic of one.

Moths of North Dakota

six species:

"...six of the more common and economically important species of Noctuinae in the Dakotas."

1. Black cutworm
Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnegal 1766)
Common name: Ypsilon dart/ Black cutworm.

2. Dingy cutworm
Feltia jaculifera (Guenée 1852)
Common name: Dingy cutworm.

3. Army cutworm
Euxoa auxiliaris (Grote 1873)
Common name: Army cutworm

4. Pearly underwing
Peridroma saucia (Hübner 1808)
Common name: Variegated cutworm/ Pearly underwing.


(I created the image summary for my reference. Pic was cropped to fit my blog. See site for full pic.)

5. W[ell]-marked cutworm
Spaelotis clandestina (Harris 1862)
Common name: W[ell]-marked cutworm.


(I created the image summary for my reference. Pic was cropped to fit my blog. See site for full pic.)

6. Greater yellow underwing
Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus 1758)
Common name: Greater yellow underwing (Europe).

Longer List
Economically Important and Common Moths

Families of Moths

"...about 1,400 species of moths are known from the Dakotas."

One other reference relevant to North Dakota, dated 6 Jun 02.
ag.ndsu

My abbreviated notes from above link:

Miller Moths are the adult moths of cutworms, Family Noctuidae.

The main species flying around is the Army cutworm, which will migrate to the Rocky Mountains for the summer.

It then returns to the plains in the late summer to lay eggs in fields.

Several migratory moths are also arriving including:
Black cutworm
Variegated cutworm.
Striped cutworm (early Jul)
Red-backed cutworms (mid-Jul)
Dingy cutworms (Jul thru Aug)
Dark-sided cutworm and Bronzed cutworm (Aug-Sep)

Most adult cutworm moths will live about 21 days or more.

Family Noctuidae - Owlet Moths
Pronunciation:
nawk-TOO-ih-dee