08/18/2026
🦋 Don’t Forget the Moths! Why These Nighttime Garden Visitors Matter 🌙🌼
When we think about pollinators, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds usually get all the attention. But there’s another group working in our gardens—often after dark—that deserves some appreciation: moths! 🦋🌙
Colorado is home to more than 5,000 species of moths, and they play important roles in our ecosystems. Some moths are pollinators, while their caterpillars and adults provide food for birds and other wildlife.
🌸 Moths can be important pollinators.�The White-lined Sphinx moth, for example, visits flowers for nectar and transfers pollen from flower to flower. In Colorado, these moths are associated with plants such as columbine, and some plants benefit significantly from their visits.
🌙 Pollination doesn’t stop when the sun goes down!�Moths are among the most important groups of nocturnal pollinators. Colorado State University Extension notes that miller moths feed on flower nectar from late spring through early fall as they migrate toward higher elevations.
🐦 Moths are also part of the food web.�Moth caterpillars are an important food source for birds and other wildlife. Colorado State University Extension points out that insects—including moths and their caterpillars—help support birds and other animals. In fact, birds can require thousands of caterpillars to raise a single brood.
🌿 So how can you help moths in your garden?
✅ Plant a variety of native plants that provide nectar for adult moths and food for caterpillars.
✅ Keep something blooming from spring through fall to provide a steady supply of nectar.
✅ Reduce pesticide use. Pesticides can harm pollinators and other beneficial insects.
✅ Accept a little leaf damage. Remember: caterpillars are baby moths! A few chewed leaves can be a sign that your garden is supporting wildlife.
✅ Turn off unnecessary outdoor lights at night. A darker garden can be friendlier to nocturnal insects.
Colorado's University of Colorado Museum of Natural History recommends increasing the diversity of native plants, providing nectar-producing flowers, limiting pesticides and avoiding bug zappers when trying to support moths.
🌙 The next time you see a moth fluttering around your garden, don't automatically think “pest.” Think pollinator, caterpillar, bird food and an important piece of Colorado's ecosystem.
A healthy garden isn't just a garden with perfect leaves—it’s a garden full of life! 🌱🦋🌼
Sources
1. Creating Pollinator Habitat — Colorado State University Extension�https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/creating-pollinator-habitat/
2. Miller Moths — Colorado State University Extension�https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/miller-moths/
3. Hornworms and “Hummingbird” Moths — Colorado State University Extension�https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/hornworms-and-hummingbird-moths/
4. Butterfly Larval – Host Plants — Colorado State University Extension�https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/butterfly-larval-host-plants/
5. Moth Matters: Attracting Moths to Your Backyard — University of Colorado Boulder Museum of Natural History�https://cumuseum-archive.colorado.edu/Exhibits/MothMatters/attracting.html
6. Moth Matters: Viewing Moths in Your Backyard — University of Colorado Boulder Museum of Natural History�https://cumuseum-archive.colorado.edu/Exhibits/MothMatters/viewing.html
Photo: CMG Jeffrey Blake
Image Description: Sphinx moth on screen door
Jefferson County CSU Extension Colorado Master Gardeners are here yto help answer your gardening, lawn, and diagnostic questions! Email [email protected] to send us a message or ask a question.
