Nature

Monarch butterflies steer by sun and magnetic field

Monarch butterflies hold their long southward migration on course using a light-dependent magnetic compass housed in their antennae, alongside a separate time-compensated sun compass. The magnetic sense appears to act as a backup for cloudy days when the sun isn't visible — making monarchs the first long-distance migratory insect confirmed to navigate this way.

Patrick A. Guerra, Robert J. Gegear & Steven M. Reppert, A magnetic compass aids monarch butterfly migration — Nature Communications, 5, 4164 (2014)

One credited idea per card. No filler. Swipe the rest in Savvy.

Keep swiping — it's free Works right in your browser. No app store needed.