The bogong moth is the Australian insect famous for migrating to alpine regions in huge numbers.
Bogong moths migrate from breeding areas in southeastern Australia to cool mountain caves and rock shelters, including locations in the Australian Alps. They aestivate there during the hottest part of the year, entering a dormant state that conserves energy.
The moth has long been important in Aboriginal Australian cultures, and people traditionally harvested and ate large aggregations of bogong moths. The species is also a significant food source for animals such as the endangered mountain pygmy possum.
Bogong moth numbers have suffered major declines in some years because of drought, heat, smoke, and other environmental pressures. Their migration is not the same as seasonal butterfly migrations elsewhere: adult bogong moths travel to alpine refuges and later return to breeding areas.