The most common nuisance moth in Colorado is the army cutworm. These moths can be extremely annoying when they get into homes and cars, but they do not breed indoors and die within a few days. Army cutworms are about 1 inch long and are quite variable in color. Usually they are gray or brown with two characteristic light spots on each wing.
Army cutworms have an unusual life cycle.
In the spring they feed and complete their development, causing some economic damage to crops. Moth emergence usually occurs in May or June, with the majority of moths emerging during a very short period. Shortly after emergence, the moths migrate to higher elevations in the mountains to feed on flowering plants, crossing the heavily populated areas of the state. During this migration, some of the moths move into buildings causing nuisance problems. They stay in the high elevations until late summer to early fall, when they return to the plains.