The Bogong Moth
The Bogong Moths scientific name is Agrotis infusa. The Bogongs name comes from the Aboriginals, since the moth was very important to them. In Aboriginal language Bogong means Moth.
What do Bogong Moths look like?
Bogong moths are 5cm long as an adult. Sometimes their brown colouring provides camouflage while they rest in caves. The original colour of the Bogong Moth is a light brown but sometimes they are a dark black colour. The moth has four wings and on them they have a dark arrow mark with one comma shaped spot and one pale round spot.
Where do Bogong Moths live?
Bogong Moths prepare to migrate, each year, as the weather starts to get hotter. Each spring they migrate from lowland breeding grounds to alpine southeast Australia where they live for the whole summer. They are sometimes driven off course by the wind and sometimes land in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. They also enjoy urban areas, forests, woodlands and caves. Bogong Moths usually fly at night and during the day they hide in dark places. In migrating season they fly to the Snowy Mountains to breed (sometimes they breed to the west of the Great Dividing Range). When autumn begins, they make the return journey home.
What do Bogong Moths eat?
Bogong Moths prepare for summer by building fat reserves, up to 60 per cent of their bodyweight. Bogong moths are herbivores so they feed on plants and nectar. Adult Bogong Moths are often seen eating at dusk during migration. The food the Bogong Moths eat when they return from the Snowy Mountains allows them to reproduce.
Why are the Bogong Moths so important to the Aboriginals?
The Bogong Moths are important because they provide rich food for the Aboriginals. They are also a source of protein and fat for the Aboriginal people. People say that the moths were hunted down by the male members and roasted in hot ashes. They would then burn off the wings and legs and mashed them into ‘moth meat’ for the Aboriginals to eat.
The Bogong Moths scientific name is Agrotis infusa. The Bogongs name comes from the Aboriginals, since the moth was very important to them. In Aboriginal language Bogong means Moth.
What do Bogong Moths look like?
Bogong moths are 5cm long as an adult. Sometimes their brown colouring provides camouflage while they rest in caves. The original colour of the Bogong Moth is a light brown but sometimes they are a dark black colour. The moth has four wings and on them they have a dark arrow mark with one comma shaped spot and one pale round spot.
Where do Bogong Moths live?
Bogong Moths prepare to migrate, each year, as the weather starts to get hotter. Each spring they migrate from lowland breeding grounds to alpine southeast Australia where they live for the whole summer. They are sometimes driven off course by the wind and sometimes land in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. They also enjoy urban areas, forests, woodlands and caves. Bogong Moths usually fly at night and during the day they hide in dark places. In migrating season they fly to the Snowy Mountains to breed (sometimes they breed to the west of the Great Dividing Range). When autumn begins, they make the return journey home.
What do Bogong Moths eat?
Bogong Moths prepare for summer by building fat reserves, up to 60 per cent of their bodyweight. Bogong moths are herbivores so they feed on plants and nectar. Adult Bogong Moths are often seen eating at dusk during migration. The food the Bogong Moths eat when they return from the Snowy Mountains allows them to reproduce.
Why are the Bogong Moths so important to the Aboriginals?
The Bogong Moths are important because they provide rich food for the Aboriginals. They are also a source of protein and fat for the Aboriginal people. People say that the moths were hunted down by the male members and roasted in hot ashes. They would then burn off the wings and legs and mashed them into ‘moth meat’ for the Aboriginals to eat.