[Scientific power] Thousands of miles chase moths, scientists install trackers on the back of the moth

Millions of insects are migrating around the world every year, but people know very little about their journey. Therefore, in order to find clues, German scientists flew into the sky, placed a miniature tracker on the back of giant moths, and tracked them by plane.

To surprise researchers, the moth seems to have a strong feeling for where they are going. Scientists reported in a study published in the magazine of Science and said that even if the wind direction changes, these insects will keep straight forward.

The author said that their flight paths indicate that these ghost -faced moths have some complex navigation skills, challenging the views of early thinking that insects are just wanders.

"Over the years, people think that the migration of insects is mainly determined by the wind, and various winds are blowing around," said the main author Myles Menz. He is now a zoologist at the University of James Cook, Australia.

Mels Monz said that it is difficult for scientists to study the way of insect travel carefully, partly because they are small. The types of radio labels used to track birds may be too heavy for them.

But the launcher has become smaller. And compared with other insects, the ghost -faced moth has a huge body, with a wingspan of 5 inches (127 mm), which is very helpful.

Researchers and migrant researchers of Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany, Martin Wicklski, said the iconic species -dark colors with yellow wings and skull -like marks -can fly well, You can stick the micro -tracker on its back.

German scientists install micro -trackers on giant moths

People think that these moths migrate between Europe and Africa for thousands of miles in autumn and fly at night.

In this study, researchers released moths with labels in Germany, hoping that they could start flying on the migration road to the Alps.

The research pilot Wikelski took off on his plane and circled and waited for any moth in the region. If he does receive a signal from a small traveler, he will follow its radio signal for several hours at a time.

"Little moths are guiding you," he said.

MyLes Menz and colleagues attached the miniature high -frequency (VHF) radio transmitter to the back of the moth and tracked their night migration flight through an aircraft; they obtained the detailed flight path of many moths, the longest trails, and the longest trails. About 56 miles (90 kilometers).

MyLesmenz said that these moths not only fly straight, but also seem to work under wind conditions. When they are against the wind, they will fly down to the ground, or rise to capture useful smooth winds.

Source: China Well -off

Author: Lao Ma

Edit: Zhao Dina

Review: Gong Zimo

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