30/09/2026
Look after these endangered but recovering little critters and turn unnecessary lights off so they keep on their way where they are going!
It's wonderful to see, across parts of south-eastern Australia, that Bogong moths are currently appearing in extraordinary numbers. These small, night-flying moths are undertaking their annual spring migration from breeding grounds across inland Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to the cool caves and rocky crevices of the Australian Alps. Travelling hundreds of kilometres, they navigate by the stars and the Earth’s magnetic field, following pathways carried within their species for countless generations.
Their abundance is especially significant because the Bogong moth is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its population suffered a devastating decline in recent years due to drought, climate change, habitat loss, agricultural chemicals and artificial light along its migratory pathways. The species is currently being assessed for inclusion on Australia’s national threatened species list.
The Bogong moth has held deep cultural significance for Aboriginal peoples of south-eastern Australia for thousands of years. Each Nation holds its own knowledge and traditions, with the arrival of the moths marking a season of movement, gathering and abundance. Ngambri people and neighbouring groups travelled into the high country as the moths arrived in their millions. Wiradjuri people gathered at Mungabareena on their journey towards Mount Bogong. These seasonal gatherings brought different language groups together for food, ceremony, trade and the sharing of knowledge.
The number of moths appearing this year offers some hope for their recovery. Rain and more favourable conditions may have brought renewed life to parts of their inland breeding grounds, where drought contributed to their dramatic decline. Hundreds of sightings have been recorded within days, adding to an increase in observations over the past year. The migration also brings nourishment into the mountains. Bogong moths feed birds, bats, reptiles and other native animals, and are especially important to the endangered mountain pygmy-possum. The strength of this year’s migration suggests that parts of this ecological relationship are strengthening. The migrations of coming years will help reveal the extent of their recovery.
In my world, moth generally speaks of lingering energy and returning to the Light. It draws our awareness inward, towards feelings, memories and experiences that remain with us beyond their natural season. The sudden arrival of so many Bogong moths feels (to me) like a time of sacred clearing, when energy held in the shadows is ready to move. These tiny travellers cross vast distances by night, gathering in their millions and finding their way to the mountains. For me, their appearance speaks spiritually of bringing scattered parts of ourselves home and releasing what has clung to us for too long.
After years of dramatic decline, the Bogong moths are filling the skies once again. Their arrival speaks of renewal, movement and the enduring wisdom that guides every living thing towards where it needs to be.
Join me in celebrating their return with this simple affirmation: “I clear what clings in the shadows and call back my scattered light.”
