Media release

From: Invertebrates Australia

The Australian Research Council (ARC) has announced Dr Kate Umbers as the successful recipient of over $1 million funding through its Mid-Career Industry Fellowships. Invertebrates Australia is the Key Industry Partner with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Zoos Victoria, and Lund University other official partners on the project. Together they will create a National Bogong Moth Observatory which will include the development of Bogong Watch — a citizen science project on bogong moths.

Bogong Watch is modelled off the successful ‘Monarch Watch’ in the US and expands on Zoos Victoria’s Moth Tracker to address the major knowledge gap around the distribution and migratory flyways of bogong moths.

Bogong moths are culturally significant to many First Nations Australians, critical to the nutrient cycle in the Australian Alps, and economically significant pests of wheat and barley.

Lead researcher for Bogong Watch, and Co-Founder and Managing Director of Invertebrates Australia, Dr Kate Umbers said that since 2017, 5-10 percent of the expected number of moths have arrived at monitored sites and the causes of that decline are unclear.

“We’re inviting citizen scientists from across the country to join us in this moth-tracking adventure so we can understand the causes of bogong moth decline.”

“We hope this project will have a significant positive impact on sustaining Australia’s biodiversity which everyone knows is critical to our long term future,” Dr Umbers said.

”I want my children and grandchildren to marvel at bogong moths covering parliament house just like I did.”

Dr Umbers has focused on Australian alpine insects including bogong moths for more than 10 years, developing several insect model systems in the Alps revealing geographic areas for conservation priority, the behaviour, phenology, life cycle and genetics of Australian alpine species, and their vulnerability to climate change.

The ARC’s Mid-Career Industry Fellowships scheme awarded 25 fellowships in 2023, to help solve industry-defined challenges using the expertise and skills of researchers from both universities and industry, transferring research skills and knowledge into real world applications.

ENDS