The Bogong moth (Agrotis infusa) is a temperate species of night-flying moth notable for appearing in major proportions around major public buildings in Canberra, the capital city of Australia, during spring (late September to November).

Ecology and life cycle

The Bogong moth Agrotis infusa is common throughout southern Australia. These brown to blackish moths have a wingspan of approximately 45 millimetres. Adults make lengthy migrations to spend summer months in large congregations in caves and crevices of rocks in the Australian Alps notably to the region of Mount Bogong and the Bogong High Plains in Victoria. They are attracted to lights, such as those in the Canberra area, at night. Large numbers may enter houses or other buildings to rest during the day. In winter, adults disperse to pastures across inland New South Wales and Queensland to lay their eggs.

This subfamily are characterised by their stoutly built bodies covered with long dense scales.

The larvae, collectively known as cutworms, are also stoutly built. They feed on a wide variety of low growing plants. The name cutworm come from the larvae's habit of cutting off plant parts during the night which they drag back to their burrows in the soil as food.

Bogongs moths are univoltine (i.e. it has one generation per year). The Lepidopteran life cycle consists of four stages; ova (eggs), several larval instars (caterpillars), pupa (cocoon), and imagines (adults).

Cultural uses

Australian aborigines living in the Australian Alps and the Canberra area are known to have feasted on the moth larvae, benefiting from their rich fat reserves, when the moths were plentiful. The moths were generally roasted and then eaten whole. This cultural use is no longer practiced; it died out with the Aborigianl tribes in these areas. The term "Urri Arra" refers to the bogong moth feasts that thse Aboriginals held.

External links

• Bogong moth (http://www.ento.csiro.au/ecowatch/Primary/butterflies/pages/bogong_cluster.htm) - CSIRO Division of Entomology