Australian moths master long-distance migration using starry skies

The research, led by an international team of scientists, marks the first time an insect has been proven to rely on stellar navigation for long-distance travel, according to a release from the University of South Australia on Thursday.

"Until now, we knew that some birds and even humans could use the stars to navigate long distances, but this is the first time that it's been proven in an insect," said co-author of the study Eric Warrant of Lund University in Sweden who is also a visiting fellow at the Australian National University and an adjunct professor at the University of South Australia.

Each spring, billions of Bogong moths migrate from southeast Australia to hibernate in the Snowy Mountains' alpine caves, returning in autumn to breed. Lab tests confirmed they fly seasonally south in spring and north in autumn using stellar navigation, said the researchers, reported Xinhua news agency.

When the night sky was rotated, the moths reversed direction; when star patterns were scrambled, they lost orientation, confirming their dependence on specific celestial cues, said the study published in Nature.

When clouds obscured stars, the moths switched to Earth's magnetic field, revealing a dual navigation system for reliability. Specialized brain neurons fired strongest when facing south, demonstrating sophisticated tiny-brain navigation, the release said.

The discovery is crucial for conservation, as Bogong moths are now vulnerable; protecting their migratory routes and dark skies is vital, and the findings may inspire advanced navigation technologies, it said.

"It's about how animals read the world around them ... The night sky has guided human explorers for millennia. Now we know that it guides moths, too," said Warrant.