A woman’s rare discovery inside a ski resort apartment has brought good news for an endangered Australian creature that has been teetering on the brink of extinction for years.
While most people wouldn’t be thrilled to find insects scattered across their hotel room floor and furniture, the woman’s encounter in Victoria’s Mount Hotham, the country’s highest alpine village, has triggered the opposite reaction.
A photo shows dozens of bogong moths scattered across the floor of her lodge. They appeared to have shimmied their way in through a gap at the bottom of the front door.
Another image shows what may even be hundreds of the insects piled into a plastic bag.
While such scenes were once common, “it’s quite rare to see those kind of images” nowadays, Dr Marissa Parrott, Senior Conservation Biologist for Zoos Victoria, told Yahoo News Australia.
In the past, bogong moths used to migrate across Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia “in the billions”, but in 2017 and 2018 those numbers “collapsed” and the species “became almost undetectable”, she said, describing the recent sighting as “wonderful”.
There is now a glimmer of hope for the bogong moth, with Zoos Victoria’s Moth Tracker project receiving reports of “good swarms” from October onwards.
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Expert’s ‘magical’ encounter with endangered creatures
Dr Parrott even got to experience one firsthand while visiting the Australian Alps late last year to study critically endangered mountain pygmy possums, which rely on the moths for nutrients.
“I got to go out and experience those swarms and actually stand there with thousands of bogong moths whirring around me, the noise of their wings, seeing them fly, it was just a really special time,” she told Yahoo, deeming the moment a “truly magical experience”.
“Just seeing them all flit around in such large numbers was just a really special experience. They’re completely harmless, beautiful little animals, and seeing them in those numbers is a bit like fairyland.”
Tiny bogong moths (left) are a critical food source for the mountain pygmy possum (right). Source: Woo Bimberi/Zoos Victoria
Bogong moths still ‘under threat’
While there are signs the species’ population is on the rise, each year is different, and there’s still a long way to go before the endangered insects are once again booming, Dr Parrott said.
“They’re still under threat. We know that another drought, further heatwaves, or other issues, could knock them down again very quickly, and so we’re still very concerned,” she explained.
In some areas, particularly in the higher peaks, numbers have been good, but that’s not the case at low elevations, where they have failed to return.
“They do need our help to bounce back to where they should be OK,” Dr Parrott said.
How you can help bogong moths make a comeback
Bogong moths, which are one-inch-long pollinators that weigh less than a Tic Tac, are vital for the environment.
“Their absence is noticed not just by us and the animals that rely on them, but also the entire ecosystems,” the conservation biologist told Yahoo.
“In places like the Alps, bogong moths are the second largest influx of nutrients into the area every year, beaten only by the sun.”
However, it would be ideal if the creatures “stay out of houses and out in the wild where they belong”.
If anyone does find a bogong moth, which can be chocolate brown or light grey and have a black stripe down each wing, they’re encouraged to give it a gentle nudge back outside.
To help the species in its comeback, Aussies should plant natives in their yard and avoid using insecticides. Pets should also be kept inside, and turning off outdoor lights will help the critters stay on their migration path.
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