Giant Moths Herald Swatting Season Down Under

Reuters to My Yahoo! ^ | 11-11-03 | James Regan

[Pharmboy]

SYDNEY (Reuters) - No one really knows if the millions of giant moths that swoop down on Australian cities each spring are suicidal or just sloppy aviators. Either way it's swatting season again Down Under.

Reuters Photo

Unlike the kangaroos and crocodiles that inhabit Australia's vast outback and swamps, the moths, called bogongs, prefer the big city lights of Sydney and Melbourne, where they flutter into high-rise offices, drown in bowls of soup, pester bus drivers, even freeze to death in refrigerators, come late October.

"They travel at night and are attracted to urban lights and the type used for big sporting events," says David Britton, collection manager in entomology at the Australian Museum.

Like their butterfly cousins, bogongs pose no health worries to humans, other than possibly to distract Australians from a favorite pastime: watching international rugby.

Millions of the furry-winged insects hovered above Telstra stadium in Sydney last month, when 78,000 fans turned out to watch the French national team pummel their Scottish rivals 51-9.

"After a while, the bogongs were more entertaining than our team, who played pathetically," a visiting fan from Edinburgh said.

During the 2000 Olympic games (news - web sites) in Sydney, bogongs up to 2 inches in size were such a nuisance that organizers needed to dim stadium lights, while athletes and spectators were forced to swat the swoopers each night in the Olympic park.

Long before organized sports in Australia, the moths were tasty "bush tucker" for aboriginal Australians, who gave the bogong its name.

Still popular among some aboriginal tribes, bogongs are gathered while they sleep. The insects are de-winged and roasted into moth cakes and served at once-popular moth feasts.

Some say bogongs have a nutty taste. Others say they taste like...well, chicken.

Those that survive the urban jungle at night also enjoy a longevity that is the envy of the bug world.

Bogongs stick around for a few weeks until summer starts in the Southern hemisphere then return to inland caves some 300 miles away to spend the hottest months asleep in the shade.

"They spend all summer in the mountains and can live up to four or five months, which is a long time for an insect," Britton said.

On a par with the huntsman, a creepy spider with a hairy back the size of a saucer, Australians hold bogongs in high esteem, as certain species are only found at home.

[Pharmboy]

"A bit nutty..."

[martin_fierro]

What IS it with Australian flora/fauna?

It's either extremely big/poisonous/weird or some combination thereof.

[putupon]

[Pharmboy]

[Grammy]

I've heard about the huntsman before. It is enough to make me decide not to visit.

[Riley]

When I was driving across the United States, I saw one that was the size of my hand. The moth's wings were folded at the time, and it was still the size of my hand. One of the largest insects I have ever seen- it was on the ground next to my car at a gas stop at night in New Mexico.

I stepped over it. If it isn't giving me a bad time or in my house, I'll generally cut it some slack. Besides, anything that big just has to be strong enough to push my foot off of it. :-)

[Calpernia]

CLICK!

[Calpernia]

CLICK!

[putupon]

Quick, go to Monster Island and get Godzilla, or Sydney will perish!

[Calpernia]

CLICK!

[Riley]

Huntsman spiders:

http://www.austmus.gov.au/factsheets/huntsman_spiders.htm

"They are also notorious for entering cars, and being found hiding behind sun visors or running across the dashboard."

If I lowered the sun visor and had one of these things drop into my lap, I think I'd execute an unplanned dismount at whatever speed I happened to be driving.

[BJungNan]

I spent five nights on Frasier Island with those darn things. They land on you and stay but the hundreds. The first few nights were bad but what got really bad was the trail of ants going for their dead bodies after the first couple of days of this.

[Imal]

What they need is a "Godzilla" movie that's nothing but two hours of the micro-babes. I'd go see it.

[GeronL]

On a par with the huntsman, a creepy spider with a hairy back the size of a saucer, Australians hold bogongs in high esteem, as certain species are only found at home.

I don't wanna meet that spider in an alley

[GeronL]

MOTHRA!!!!! RUN for your life!!!!

[mtbopfuyn]

Huh? A 2" moth is certainly not a giant by any stretch of the imagination. Average sized ones in TX are about 3". Once there was a beautiful light green one in the yard that had a good 6-7" wing span.

[Imal]

"If I lowered the sun visor and had one of these things drop into my lap, I think I'd execute an unplanned dismount at whatever speed I happened to be driving."

If it was an Australian Funnel Web Spider, I'd be out the door before it hit my lap.

[Pharmboy]

Ping!

[budwiesest]

Here's a fun game: Take powerful flashlights out at night and shine them in the sky. When you land on a moth, keep the light on it 'till it hits the ground (lot's of spinning and such).

Give points for each one that hits the ground (not as easy as it seems, but it's fun). Mag lites work nicely as you can scan broadly and then sharpen the beam when you 'hook' one.

[Merdoug]

Since the Mothera crowd seems to be here, maybe someone can answer this question: there's this movie I remember when I was a kid that takes place in a jungle. These people are in room and this "killer" butterfly is flirtering around inside. The people are terrified of it and hoping that it doesn't attck them. Weird movie! Anybody know the name of it? Thanks!