Navigate by Stars & Milky Way: 1st for Insects

Joseph Castro, LiveScience Contributor

Date: 24 January 2013 Time: 12:00 PM ET

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Dung beetles use the glow of the Milky Way galaxy to navigate. CREDIT: Emily Baird View full size image

Despite having tiny brains, dung beetles are surprisingly decent navigators, able to follow straight paths as they roll poo balls they've collected away from a dung source. But it seems the insects' abilities are more remarkable than previously believed. Like ancient seafarers, dung beetles can navigate using the starry sky and the glow from the Milky Way, new research shows.

"This is the first time where we see animals using the Milky Way for orientation," said lead researcher Marie Dacke, a biologist at Lund University in Sweden. "It's also the first time we see that insects can use the stars."

More -
Link >>> http://www.livescience.com/26557-dung-beetles-navigate-stars.html

Source: LiveScience.com .

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