The first invertebrate to be observed using celestial navigation for long-distance journeys

Bogong moths (Agrotis infusa) use the stars to navigate — an ability previously identified only in humans, birds, and possibly seals. After emerging from their cocoons, the moths fly hundreds of kilometres across Australia to caves in the Australian Alps — caves they have never visited. Researchers tested the insects in a moth ‘flight simulator’ and found that they have two internal compasses: one using visual cues from the stars and another that relies on Earth’s magnetic field. The two skills act as fail-safes — the moths have an electromagnetic compass for cloudy nights, and a celestial one to use during events such as magnetic storms.