The larvae populations sometimes reach high enough levels to cause severe defoliation; such outbreaks have occurred in northern Arizona, central Oregon, and southern California.

The Paiute people in California's Owens Valley and Mono Lake areas harvest, prepare, and store the larvae (which they call piuga) as a preferred food.

This has brought the natives into conflict with the United States Forest Service, which has sought to control moth populations through the use of insecticides.

[4] The Paiutes (Nüümü) of California's Owens Valley (Payahuunadü) and Mono Lake (Kootza Paatsehota) harvest, prepare, store, and eat the larvae of the Pandora moth, which they call piuga or piagü.

The larvae are collected at their most mature stage,[5]: 74–75  during their July or early-August[6] migration to the forest floor at the end of their first year of life.