‘Thrilled’: huge swarms of bogong moths surprise NSW residents and may point to species’ recovery
Large numbers of bogong moths have been reported in coastal areas of New South Wales, surprising residents and prompting excitement among experts. Hundreds of sightings were posted over the weekend to Bogong Watch, a citizen science initiative run by Invertebrates Australia, as researchers assess whether the endangered native insect may be recovering.
Swarms of bogong moths have surprised New South Wales residents in recent days, with hundreds of sightings reported in coastal areas.
The sightings were posted over the weekend to the iNaturalist page for Bogong Watch, a citizen science initiative run by Invertebrates Australia.
A researcher said sightings of the endangered native insect had increased over the past two years, but described this year’s numbers as substantially higher. Experts said the swarms were a cause for excitement rather than alarm.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What conditions contributed to the increase in bogong moth sightings this year?
How representative are the citizen-science reports of the species’ wider population?
What evidence would confirm that the endangered moth is recovering?
Could increased sightings create new risks for the moths or the places where they gather?
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · SEPTEMBER 2026