monarch butterfly uses magnetic sun compasses
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Monarch butterfly uses magnetic, Sun compasses

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Monarch butterfly uses magnetic, Sun compasses

A file photo taken on December 10, 2008
Paris - AFP

The North American monarch butterfly uses the Sun as well as Earth's magnetic field as navigational tools for its famous long-distance migration, scientists said Tuesday.
The insects with their characteristic orange-and-black wings flutter thousands of kilometres each year from the United States and southern Canada to the Michoacan mountains in central Mexico, where they overwinter.
The butterflies, whose Latin name is Danaus plexippus, have long been known to use a type of solar compass in the brain.
Yet, curiously, they are also able to migrate when skies are heavily overcast, which suggested co-reliance on a magnetic compass.
Now, biologists from Massachusetts say they have found evidence for this, making the butterfly the first long-distance migratory insect thought to use magnetic navigation.
They placed monarchs in a flight simulator, which they surrounded with different artificial magnetic fields to test the insects' directional sense.
Most headed equatorward in initial testing but turned north when the inclination angle of the magnetic field was reversed. The compass worked only in the presence of light at the upper edge of the visible light spectrum.
The butterflies' antennae appeared to contain light-sensitive magnetosensors to make this all work, the team found.
The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, sees the monarch join a lengthening list of birds, reptiles, amphibians, turtles and insects, including honeybees and termites, believed to use the magnetic field for navigation.
"Our study reveals another fascinating aspect of monarch butterfly migratory behaviour," the authors wrote.
"Greater knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the fall migration may well aid in its preservation, currently threatened by climate change and by the continuing loss of milkweed (plant) and overwintering habitats.
"Another vulnerability to now consider is the potential disruption of the magnetic compass in monarchs by human-induced electromagnetic noise, which can apparently disrupt geomagnetic orientation in a migratory bird."

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

monarch butterfly uses magnetic sun compasses monarch butterfly uses magnetic sun compasses

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

monarch butterfly uses magnetic sun compasses monarch butterfly uses magnetic sun compasses

 



GMT 05:14 2024 Wednesday ,07 February

Sophisticated Classic Dining Room Design Ideas

GMT 10:51 2016 Tuesday ,22 November

Klinsmann fired as US coach

GMT 05:17 2017 Wednesday ,05 July

Now, have breakfast, coffee with rats

GMT 12:10 2018 Thursday ,18 January

Lebanon reverses ban on Spielberg's 'The Post'

GMT 11:35 2017 Thursday ,28 September

Young Emiratis Credit Young ADIPEC with Helping Them

GMT 11:56 2017 Wednesday ,13 December

Brexit deal shows UK can leave EU

GMT 08:45 2017 Saturday ,30 September

Yasmine Sabri reveals secrets of her happiness

GMT 20:22 2016 Sunday ,17 July

Jagger to be dad again at 72

GMT 21:30 2016 Wednesday ,11 May

Nilesat attains profits worth $ 91.5m in 2015

GMT 00:48 2017 Sunday ,12 March

Iran condemns Syria terrorist bomb attacks

GMT 12:04 2012 Tuesday ,17 July

US drones make peace with Pakistan less likely

GMT 00:48 2012 Friday ,10 August

Judge Judy is highest paid TV star
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice