Today I Learned (TIL)

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TIL Insects use the moon as a celestial compass cue to navigate, and mistakenly use artificial light sources instead (self.til)

submitted 1 year ago by BlackRose to c/til@lemmy.ca

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An insect should keep a light source at a fixed visual location for maintaining its heading.

The sensitive night-adapted eyes of insects are blinded by artificial lights, causing them to fly erratically or crash, and trapping them near light sources.

In contrast, diffused artificial light in the same plane as the night sky should restore appropriate dorsal-light-response, allowing insects to fly normally.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.11.536486v1.full

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[–] bernieecclestoned@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

No context

That did not stop researchers from attempting innovative experiments, such as attaching moths to polystyrene boats