Dung Beetles Navigate Via the Milky Way

Looks like Beetles look to the heavens for guidance!

The tiny insects can orient themselves to the bright stripe of light generated by our galaxy, and move in a line relative to it, according to recent experiments in South Africa.

I wonder if a bright comet appears in our sky with a long tail, if they would follow it instead.
Pretty amazing, I think!

What’s more, it’s “probably a widespread skill that insects have—migrating moths might also be able to do it.”

It may even be a common navigational beacon...




SOURCE

Interesting, there's a reason for everything. Those guys should be in the running for a Nobel prize, or Alternative Nobel, or the Ig Nobel prize. Those Dung beetles are smart cookies, they get their baby food already prepared and cooked, and take it home, just like we do!

So when their part of the world 'develops', light pollution will put a stop to that.

The way our species pollutes on so many levels is quite fantastic - ironic that they are known as dung beetles.

reply to post by kako187


Ive always found them to be interesting but this is pretty impressive.

Probably why Egyptians adored these critters