Cultural Uses
Indigenous Australians living in south eastern Australia were known to have feasted on the moths, benefiting from their rich fat reserves, particularly during the summer when the moths were plentiful. The moths were either killed or stupefied by the heat and smoke of torches, and then their bodies collected. Many Aboriginal band groups from the lowlands traveled to exploit this tasty, high protein and high fat resource, and so at any time during the summer, the population of human foragers could be upwards of 400 individuals. Moth collection activities were accompanied by appropriate ceremonies and rites of intensification, and most nearby groups held title to their own pitch for harvesting. Once collected, the moths were generally roasted and eaten whole. This cultural use is no longer practised. The term "Urri Arra" refers to the Bogong moth feasts that these Aboriginal people held.
A town, Bogong, in the Australian state of Victoria has been named after the moth.
Read more about this topic: Bogong Moth
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