Bogong Moth Swarms Signal Rebound Across Australia
Endangered Bogong moths have returned in large swarms across southeastern Australia, reviving their annual migration to alpine caves after drought-driven population losses of about 99.5%. Scientists welcome the rebound and its benefits for wildlife such as the mountain pygmy-possum, while warning that habitat loss, pesticides and climate change remain threats.
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About Bogong moth
The bogong moth is a temperate species of night-flying moth, notable for its biannual long-distance seasonal migrations towards and from the Australian Alps, similar to the diurnal monarch butterfly. During the autumn and winter it is found in southern Queensland, western New South Wales, western Victoria, Tasmania and also in South and Western Australia. Adult bogong moths breed and larvae hatch during this period, consuming winter pasture plants during their growth. During the spring, the moths migrate south or east and reside in mountains such as Mount Bogong, where they gregariously aestivate over the summer until their return towards breeding grounds again in the autumn.
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