Researchers have investigated whether stars provide nocturnal moths with landmarks, given that the “Vintergatan” (Milky Way) is almost always visible nonetheless of season or time at night.

The scientists captured a large group of Bogong moths at the beginning of their journey and placed them in a special simulator where the starry sky could be changed along the way.

Simultaneously, “jordens magnetfält” (the Earth’s magnetic field) was blocked, so the night butterfly could only navigate with vision.

The researchers also placed electronic sensors on the moths to measure their brain activity.

Even though the moth’s “hjärna” (brain) is as large as a grain of rice, it processes details in ways similar to man’s.

“Maneter saknar hjärta, men kan leva för evigt. De har inget ansikte, men kan ändå se. En ny studie visar att maneter har en speciell mental förmåga som inte borde vara möjlig utan en hjärna.” (Jellyfish lack a heart but can live forever. They have no face, but they can still see. A new study shows that jellyfish have a special mental ability that should not be possible without a brain.)

How Moths Navigate by Starlight

A recent study sheds light on how moths use celestial cues for navigation. By manipulating the night sky in a controlled habitat, researchers were able to isolate the role of stars in moth orientation. This experiment,which involved blocking the Earth’s magnetic field,forced the moths to rely solely on visual landmarks for direction.

“Maneter saknar hjärta, men kan leva för evigt. De har inget ansikte, men kan ändå se.”