These pretty pollinators are ruining my life

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     May 22, 2023 I haven't been sleeping very well, and, no, the culprit is neither stress over debt ceiling negotiations nor the potential for Trump 2.0. It's moths. Every year, toward the end of spring and the beginning of summer, [miller moths]( migrate from Colorado's eastern plains to the mountains in the west. There's [no official data]( on the number of moths in this year's migration, but anecdotally, it's been nuts—and it's been driving my cat up the wall. I've written before about the travails of living in a loft. Here's a new one: having no way to prevent your cat from zooming across your bed at 3 a.m. so he can paw at the blinds and meow at a moth outside your window. The moths crawl through the cracks around my screen windows and get into my apartment, and my cat starts knocking things over so he can get his prize. I've tried leaving a lamp on and placing it as far away from my bed as possible, hoping it will attract the moths and my cat. It hasn't worked. Recently, I left a ceramic flower pot on a windowsill. Big mistake. It turns out that these little critters are an [important part of the mountain ecosystem](, providing food for birds, bats, and bears, and pollinating flowers along the way. Some people advise bringing the moths outside instead of killing them, but there's just one problem: Open the door to let one moth out, and a dozen more fly in. I take solace knowing that I'm [not the only person]( whose cat is crazed by moth mania—and that it should be over in a couple weeks, when the moths reach their final destination, far away from me. Still, there are many pollinators that aren't quite as annoying as moths, and they're great to have around. If you're thinking about laying down some grass seed this year, perhaps consider [turning your yard into a pollinator party]( by seeding the ground with bee-friendly flowers instead. Bonus points: It's easier than lawn maintenance! —Abigail Weinberg Advertisement [House Subscriptions Ad]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Fossil Fuel Firms Owe $209 Billion a Year in Climate Reparations, Study Says]( “This is only the tip of the iceberg," says co-author of groundbreaking new analysis. BY NINA LAKHANI SPONSORED CONTENT BY PROJECT GOOD WORK   The Sidelines are Gone, Join Changemakers to Build a Better World - Register Today! The Changemaker Conference is an annual celebration of taking radical action to change the world around us for the benefit of everyone. The conference will highlight some of the most pressing issues we face and provide practical methods and applications for achieving results during your change-making journey. Join this virtual conference online from anywhere in the world in your pajamas, during a meal or break at work on May 25th from 9 am - 5 pm PST. [Register now and become a lifetime founder member of our changemaker community.]( [Trending] [Ron DeSantis doesn't want to talk about abortion, even to anti-abortion activists]( BY ALI BRELAND   [Ron DeSantis would love to borrow your plane]( BY TIM MURPHY   [Biden administration seeks to curb misleading use of recycling logo]( BY OLIVER MILMAN   [House Republicans' work requirements "are not about work"]( BY MICHAEL MECHANIC Advertisement [House Store Ad]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Your Perfect Green Lawn Is a Buzz Kill]( Here's how to turn it into a pollinator party. BY TOM PHILPOTT [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755