Bogong moths fly to which Australian mountain region to aestivate in summer?

Bogong moths fly to the Australian Alps to aestivate during the Australian summer. The species, Agrotis infusa, migrates south or east from lowland breeding areas and spends the hot season dormant in cool, dark mountain caves and crevices.

Bogong moths breed in southern Australian lowlands during the cooler months. Their larvae feed on winter-growing plants, while adults emerge and migrate in spring. In the Alps, adults cluster together and conserve energy through aestivation, a form of dormancy associated with hot or dry conditions. They return to breeding grounds in autumn, where they lay eggs and die.

The journey can reach about 965 kilometres, and sites at elevations above 1,500 metres are especially important. The moths are culturally significant as a traditional food for Aboriginal peoples and ecologically important prey for the endangered mountain pygmy-possum. Their populations have declined sharply since drought and warming intensified, and the IUCN listed the species as Endangered in 2021.