tech
Butterflies crossing oceans, moths navigating by the stars: unravelling the mysteries of insect migrations
Trillions of insects embark, largely unnoticed, on epic journeys every year across mountain ranges, deserts and seas, and it is only now, as their numbers suffer huge declines, that scientists are tracking their movements
TL;DR
- Insects undertake trillions of large-scale migrations annually across diverse landscapes.
- The first direct proof of butterflies crossing the Atlantic was established in 2024.
- Bogong moths navigate using stars and Earth's magnetic field, but are threatened by light pollution and population declines.
- Innovative tracking methods include radar, blimps with nets, and 'glitter bombing'.
- Over 3 trillion bugs were found to travel over southern England annually.
- 17 million insects were found to fly through a Pyrenean mountain pass each year, many of which are pollinators.
- Insect populations are in steep decline due to climate breakdown, habitat loss, and pesticide use.
- The decline of insects like the bogong moth has severe consequences for species that rely on them for food, such as the mountain pygmy possum.