Bogong Watch is an initiative of Invertebrates Australia. It is a program driven by a growing network of observers across Australia gathering and reporting sightings of Bogong moths to help map its epic migration.
Over the next couple of weeks, a team of volunteers and researchers will be heading to the mountains to tag Bogong moths. Around the mountains, there will be 50 volunteer sentinels using light traps to search for tagged moths, but even though this sounds like a lot, the range of this species is huge, and they need to have more people looking out for these critters.
Therefore, we need your help looking for tagged moths. Even if you don’t have a specialised moth light to look for moths, there are still plenty of ways you can get involved and make a meaningful contribution to the project.
For all ways of getting involved head to bogong.org and sign up to their website.
Here’s how you can take part:
• Look for Bogongs: Keep an eye out for Bogong moths around your porch light or in your local park (but do be mindful of your personal safety at night). We have put together some guidelines around how to look for and report sightings in a Sentinels Handbook, you can download this here (https://www.bogong.org/tagging). Please download the handbook for further information, and use the form provided to report your sightings. These sightings are essential to the success of the project, and we would love to hear from you!
• Stay connected: You can sign up to the Bogong mailing list so you can keep up to date with the project and receive Bogong-related news and updates. You can unsubscribe at any time.
• Volunteer next year: We’re planning to run the project again next year and would love to have you involved. Keep an eye out for the Expression of Interest to host a bug lantern by signing up to our newsletter. We hope to expand into more areas, so even if you don’t have a lantern this year, there may be opportunities next season.
• Pre-order your own bug lantern: Bug lanterns will soon be available to pre-order via via the Invertebrates Australia shop. Purchasing your own lantern will allow you to participate in the project next season, and discover the amazing insects visiting your own garden.
• Share your memories: While understanding where the Bogong moths are going now is super important, we also want to know where they’ve been seen in the past, and what they mean to people in Australia. To do this we are asking people to share their memories of seeing Bogong moths- whether it’s a childhood memory, or a memory from a fun hiking adventure if you have a story to share please let us know.
• Support the project: Funding is currently the main barrier to making bug lanterns more widely available. If you’re interested in helping the project grow, you can support or sponsor the program to help us expand in future seasons.
Finally, a big thank you from everyone at Bogong HQ. We’ve been truly inspired by the enthusiasm for protecting one of Australia’s small but mighty critters. With your support, we’re confident there are many exciting things ahead for the conservation of the Bogong moth.