Tussock moths are on the march

Parts of Cheyenne Mountain State Park are looking brown, but it has nothing to do with drought.

The culprit is called the Tussock Moth. The moth’s larvae burrows into the tree and kills it.

Darcy Mount, the Park Manager at Cheyenne Mountain State Park says that about 100 acres have been destroyed by the moth and that means there is a danger fro wildfires.

“A new problem for us is now we have fuel mitigation we need to do this winter to make sure that there’s a fire break up there for the residents and the park – as well as the air station,” she said.

Mount says that visitors to the park have asked about the brown patch of trees.

She says it’s especially noticeable because everything else is so green.