A recent study has revealed that bogong moths in Australia use celestial cues to navigate up to 1,000km to unknown destinations, making them the first invertebrates known to rely on celestial navigation. These moths migrate from breeding grounds in the south-east to the Australian Alps to escape the summer heat, returning in autumn to reproduce and die.

Professor Eric Warrant from Lund University has long been intrigued by how these moths find their way without parental guidance. Previous research on migratory birds had shown reliance on stars and the Earth's magnetic field, leading Warrant to investigate if bogong moths followed a similar strategy.

Researchers built a flight simulator for moths in the Snowy Mountains, projecting a night sky above them to observe their behavior. By manipulating the sky's direction, they found that the moths adjusted their flight path based on stellar cues, even when the sky was rotated. Disorientation occurred when visual cues were disrupted, highlighting the moths' dependence on stars for navigation.

Inserting electrodes into the moth's brain revealed strong neurological responses to changes in orientation, particularly when facing southwards. The study, published in Nature, confirmed that bogong moths use stars and the Earth's magnetic field for navigation during their long-distance journey.

Dr. Kate Umbers from Western Sydney University emphasized the sophistication of these insects, contrary to common perceptions. Understanding bogong moth biology is crucial for conservation efforts, as their populations have declined in recent years. Sharing bogong moth observations with Bogong Storytellers can contribute to conservation actions and appreciation for these remarkable creatures.