Have you noticed an increase in large brown moths at your house? If so, you’re not alone.

Massive swarms of endangered bogong moths have arrived across Sydney, the South Coast and regional New South Wales during their annual migration.

Each spring, millions of the endangered moths leave their breeding grounds and travel hundreds of kilometres to the Snowy Mountains and Australian Alps, searching for cooler mountain caves for summer.

Bogong moths are an important food source for many alpine animals, most notably the endangered mountain pygmy possum after its winter hibernation.

This year, a combination of northerly winds and a warmer climate have pushed moths off course, and they’ve been reported in backyards, homes and coastal areas throughout Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Bogong moths are harmless and are also legally protected, as their population has sharply declined due to drought, agricultural intensification and habitat loss.

Here are some ways you can help the moths to continue their important journey:

• If a moth enters your home or workplace, turn off any indoor lights and leave on a single outdoor light to draw the bogongs outside. 
• Alternatively, use an upturned glass and a piece of thin cardboard or paper to gently and safely relocate the moth outside.
• Create a backyard habitat that helps bogong moths and other local wildlife.
• Turn off unnecessary lights, especially outdoors, to help the moths stay on course. 
• Don’t kill or spray the moths with insecticide.