Study achieves longest continuous tracking of migrating insects

By flying with hawkmoths during migration, scientists reveal the insects employ sophisticated flight strategies similar to vertebrates. After tagging, moths were released in Konstanz, Germany, and followed in a light aircraft for up to 80 kilometers into the Alps. MPI of Animal Behavior/ Christian Ziegler - Insects are the world's smallest flying migrants, but they can maintain perfectly straight flight paths even in unfavorable wind conditions, according to a new study from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz. Researchers radio tracked migrating hawkmoths for up to 80 kilometers-the longest distance that any insect has been continuously monitored in the wild. By closely following individuals during migration, the world-first study unlocks a century-old mystery of what insects do over their long-range journeys. The study confirms that hawkmoths can accurately maintain straight trajectories over long distances, employing sophisticated strategies to counter and correct for unfavorable wind conditions. The findings reveal that insects are capable of accurate navigation, confirming that an internal compass guides them on their long journeys.