12 October 2007: Moth Broth

Australians have hit on a radical solution to an unusually large invasion of moths -- eat them.

Millions of bogong moths have descended on Canberra and Sydney, clogging air-conditioning ducts, swooping on unwary pedestrians and setting off fire alarms.

Unusually strong winds have blown the moths off course as they migrate from the heat of Queensland state to the cool of the Snowy Mountains.

Now one Canberra restaurateur says he will include the moths on his menu next week.

"They can be made into a soup or served in some brandy," he said. "You flame them so the wings and the fur burn off and they go crunchy."

An alternative recipe involves putting a handful of moths through a coffee blender, then sprinkling them on an omelette, though one Australian naturalist said he preferred his moths raw. "It's like eating a prawn cocktail," he said.