The Bogong moths of Australia, small and unassuming, undertake a significant biannual migration over hundreds of miles. Neurobiologist Andrea Adden's research reveals that while the Earth's magnetic field aids in their orientation, they also rely on visual cues from the stars for navigation, marking the first documented case of invertebrates using celestial navigation. During their migration, these moths enter a dormant phase called estivation in the cooler Australian Alps during the blistering summer heat before returning to breed in the spring, navigating without any learned experience from previous generations.
"They're small brown moths with arrow-like markings on the wings. They're pretty nondescript. But these insects undertake an epic migration twice in their lifetime."
"It's the first time that we have found an invertebrate using the stars to navigate, and also the first time that anyone had seen neurons that specifically respond to the starry sky in the insect brain."
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