I’ve heard moths and other insects may use the moon to navigate. But how can it help them figure out which direction they’re going when its position in the sky is always changing?

94 views

Over the course of a night the moon will make its way across the sky (or there will be no moon to see at all). Also from night to night the moon will be in a different position in the sky than it was at that time the night before. So how can insects use it to “guide” them in whatever direction they’re trying to migrate/navigate? If it were always in the same spot in the sky I could understand it, always keeping it to their left for instance, but how do they use it to go in the same direction when it could either be on their left or their right depending on the night/time?

In: 30

6 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Insect eyes are tube-like, think like a bundle of straws. They can navigate by focusing a light source on 1 tubule and keeping it in a constant position.

Since the moon is far away, they do not get a parallax effect, and can maintain any position or direction in relation to that light that they so choose.

Compare that to a nearby candle or fire, due to the parralax the moth will constantly have to re-adjust because the light source is changing position in relation to the moth at a rapid pace. This causes the moth to spiral into the flame and die.

The moon doesn’t move fast enough to cause disorientation.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Bugs don’t need to navigate the earth.

They just want to reach the light.

They are aiming for the moon no matter where the moon might be.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Insect eyes are tube-like, think like a bundle of straws. They can navigate by focusing a light source on 1 tubule and keeping it in a constant position.

Since the moon is far away, they do not get a parallax effect, and can maintain any position or direction in relation to that light that they so choose.

Compare that to a nearby candle or fire, due to the parralax the moth will constantly have to re-adjust because the light source is changing position in relation to the moth at a rapid pace. This causes the moth to spiral into the flame and die.

The moon doesn’t move fast enough to cause disorientation.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Bugs don’t need to navigate the earth.

They just want to reach the light.

They are aiming for the moon no matter where the moon might be.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Bugs don’t need to navigate the earth.

They just want to reach the light.

They are aiming for the moon no matter where the moon might be.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Insect eyes are tube-like, think like a bundle of straws. They can navigate by focusing a light source on 1 tubule and keeping it in a constant position.

Since the moon is far away, they do not get a parallax effect, and can maintain any position or direction in relation to that light that they so choose.

Compare that to a nearby candle or fire, due to the parralax the moth will constantly have to re-adjust because the light source is changing position in relation to the moth at a rapid pace. This causes the moth to spiral into the flame and die.

The moon doesn’t move fast enough to cause disorientation.