Cathedral organ silenced by swarm of returning bogong moths
Bogong moths have jammed pipes at a historic cathedral organ in Bathurst, making it unplayable.
At All Saints Cathedral in Bathurst, bogong moths have jammed the organ's trumpet, bassoon, trombone and clarinet pipes. They are now unplayable.
The cathedral had to remove, clean and re-tune a large number of pipes. They range from about 70 millimetres to nearly five metres tall.
After that, a screen will have to be installed to keep the moths out. In other regions, residents report moths covering fly-screen doors so thickly they use leaf blowers to clear them.
The insects used to swarm around street lights, which attracted local owls. That pattern has shifted.
Some locals view the moths' return as a sign of ecological recovery. They hope owls will also reappear.
- All Saints Cathedral, Bathurst
- Location
- Trumpet, bassoon, trombone, clarinet
- Affected pipes
- 70 millimetres to nearly 5 metres
- Pipe size range
Why it mattersThe return of a migratory species reveals Australia's changing ecology and the unexpected consequences of wildlife recovery.
Corroborated bytheage.com.au·watoday.com.au
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