Hobbies And Interests
Description
Bogong moths have a wingspan up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) and stoutly built bodies. Their scientific name is Agrostis infusa; they belong to the family Noctuidae. Their bodies are brown to black; the wings have distinctive markings. The upper wings are brown; each has a dark arrow-shaped spot, a dark comma-shaped spot and a lighter-colored spot. The bottom wings are a lighter beige color with a dark-brown edging.
Life Cycle
Eggs are laid in late autumn and hatch into brown caterpillars four weeks later. The caterpillars, or cutworms, feed on wide-leafed plants. When they reach about 2 inches in length, they form a cocoon and pupate during the winter. About four weeks later, they emerge as a moths. Before summer, they migrate to the Australian Alps, which can be a journey of up to 1800 miles. When the hot summer months are over, they return to the plains to lay eggs and die.
Migration
During spring, millions of bogong moths fly south to south-eastward to caves in the highest peaks of the Snowy Mountains region. They congregate on cave walls, floors and in crevices and remain dormant. This practice is called aestivation. During the migration and the time in the caves, they survive on the fat reserves stored in their abdomens. They navigate using the light on the horizon and are attracted to brightly lit areas. They were a nuisance at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Ecology
Over the summer months, many of the bogong moths are eaten by pygmy possums, bats, Australian ravens and currawong birds. The moth's body is about 60 percent fat; they are a nutritious source of protein. In the past, the Australian aboriginal people also traveled to the caves to feast on the moths during the summer. They roasted the moths and either ate them whole or made them into cakes that they could keep for later.