Insect orientation to polarized moonlight

摘要: An African dung beetle uses the moonlit sky to make a swift exit after finding food. Moonlight, like sunlight1, scatters when it strikes tiny particles in atmosphere, giving rise celestial polarization patterns2. Here we show that an beetle, Scarabaeus zambesianus, of orientate itself so can move along straight line. Many creatures use Sun's light-polarization pattern themselves3,4, but S. zambesianus is first animal known million-times dimmer moonlight for this purpose.