insect
- Spectral organization of the compound eye of a migrating nymphalid, the chestnut tiger butterfly Parantica sita
Summary: Eyes of chestnut tiger butterflies have UV-, blue- and green-sensitive cells and they are also polarization sensitive, which may be useful for visual orientation during migration.
- Hearing in caterpillars of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Highlighted Article: Monarch butterfly caterpillars use specialized hairs on their thorax to detect sounds, and respond by freezing and flicking – behaviours that are thought to prevent attacks by flying insect predators.
- High-speed locomotion in the Saharan silver ant, Cataglyphis bombycina
Highlighted Article: The Saharan silver ant performs high-speed locomotion with a characteristic high stride frequency, achieved by a combination of short stance phases and fast leg swing movements.
- The role of lateral optic flow cues in hawkmoth flight control
Summary: Hummingbird hawkmoths use optic flow similarly to flies and bees to control their position, but not their speed, in flight tunnel experiments.
- The neuropeptide CCHamide2 regulates diuresis in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus
Summary: The neuropeptide RhoprCCHamide2 has a dual diuretic effect, enhancing the serotonin-induced secretion by Malpighian tubules, and inhibiting serotonin-induced absorption across the anterior midgut in Rhodnius prolixus.
- Responses of compass neurons in the locust brain to visual motion and leg motor activity
Summary: In desert locusts, neurons of the central complex, involved in spatial orientation and navigation, change their activity during visual large-field motion and walking activity.
- Bark beetles use a spring-loaded mechanism to produce variable song patterns
Summary: Destructive bark beetles use a spring-loaded mechanism to produce variable songs.
- Sound localization behavior in Drosophila melanogaster depends on inter-antenna vibration amplitude comparisons
Highlighted Article: Walking Drosophila melanogaster steer toward sounds to their front, but away from sounds to their rear. These behaviors are explained by a simple rule: flies steer away from the antenna with the larger vibration amplitude.
- The brain behind straight-line orientation in dung beetles
Summary: Insights into the neural mechanisms underlying compass orientation in dung beetles are placed into the context of the mechanisms of other insects.