Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Migration00:53

Migration

8.1K
Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.
8.1K
Compass01:23

Compass

18.2K
The compass is a fundamental instrument that operates by aligning its magnetic needle with Earth's magnetic field. This alignment facilitates navigation and orientation, offering a means to determine direction relative to magnetic north. However, the magnetic needle points to magnetic north, which differs slightly from true geographic north due to magnetic declination, which is the angular deviation between these two points. Declination varies based on geographic location and shifts over time...
18.2K
Magnetic Declination01:19

Magnetic Declination

779
Magnetic declination is the angle between true north, which aligns with the Earth's rotational axis, and magnetic north, which follows the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. This discrepancy exists because the magnetic poles do not coincide with the geographic poles. The value of magnetic declination depends on the observer's location on Earth and is subject to changes over time due to the dynamic nature of the Earth's magnetic field.The declination is called eastern when magnetic north...
779
Magnetism01:30

Magnetism

8.2K
Magnets are commonly found in everyday objects, such as toys, hangers, elevators, doorbells, and computer devices. Experimentation on these magnets shows that all magnets have two poles: one is labeled north (N) and the other south (S). Magnetic poles repel if they are alike and attract if unlike. Moreover, both poles of a magnet attract unmagnetized pieces of iron.
An individual magnetic pole cannot be isolated. No matter how small, every piece of a magnet contains a north pole and a south...
8.2K
Magnetic Fields01:27

Magnetic Fields

5.9K
A moving charge or a current creates a magnetic field in the surrounding space, in addition to its electric field. The magnetic field exerts a force on any other moving charge or current that is present in the field. Like an electric field, the magnetic field is also a vector field. At any position, the direction of the magnetic field is defined as the direction in which the north pole of a compass needle points.
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
5.9K
Meridians01:28

Meridians

1.1K
In surveying, meridians are vital reference lines to measure directions and establish accurate land orientations. Meridians run from the north to the south poles, providing a stable framework for angular measurements and mapping. Meridians are fundamental in survey design, with the primary types being astronomic, magnetic, and assumed meridians. Each type offers distinct benefits and limitations, selected based on the project's scale and precision needs.The astronomic meridian is aligned with...
1.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) only use magnetic cues for migratory directionality with orientation re-calibrated by coldness.

PloS one·2025
Same author

Spatial partitioning of floral volatiles provides a "chemosensory roadmap" for bumblebee pollinators.

Current biology : CB·2025
Same author

Magnetic field effects on behaviour in Drosophila.

Nature·2024
Same author

Gravisensation and modulation of gravitactic responses by other sensory cues in the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus).

The Journal of experimental biology·2023
Same author

The cost of movement: assessing energy expenditure in a long-distant ectothermic migrant under climate change.

The Journal of experimental biology·2023
Same author

3D reconstruction of larval and adult brain neuropils of two giant silk moth species: Hyalophora cecropia and Antheraea pernyi.

Journal of insect physiology·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight
12:09

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

2.7K

A magnetic compass aids monarch butterfly migration.

Patrick A Guerra1, Robert J Gegear2, Steven M Reppert1

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.

Nature Communications
|June 25, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Migrant monarch butterflies use a light-dependent magnetic compass in their antennae for fall migration. This inclination compass, sensitive to ultraviolet-A/blue light, aids navigation when sun cues are absent.

More Related Videos

A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila
09:27

A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila

Published on: November 21, 2008

10.9K
Early Metamorphic Insertion Technology for Insect Flight Behavior Monitoring
19:14

Early Metamorphic Insertion Technology for Insect Flight Behavior Monitoring

Published on: July 12, 2014

14.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight
12:09

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

2.7K
A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila
09:27

A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila

Published on: November 21, 2008

10.9K
Early Metamorphic Insertion Technology for Insect Flight Behavior Monitoring
19:14

Early Metamorphic Insertion Technology for Insect Flight Behavior Monitoring

Published on: July 12, 2014

14.3K

Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior
  • Biophysics
  • Neuroethology

Background:

  • Monarch butterflies exhibit remarkable long-distance migration.
  • Previous research lacked definitive evidence for a magnetic compass in monarch navigation.
  • The role of light in magnetic orientation was not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the existence and characteristics of a magnetic compass in migrating monarch butterflies.
  • To determine the light dependency and spectral sensitivity of this compass.
  • To identify the sensory organs involved in magnetic field detection.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized flight simulator studies with migrating monarch butterflies.
  • Manipulated light conditions, focusing on ultraviolet-A/blue wavelengths (380-420 nm).
  • Investigated the role of antennae in magnetic orientation.

Main Results:

  • Migrant monarch butterflies possess an inclination magnetic compass for equatorward flight.
  • Compass function is dependent on light, specifically ultraviolet-A/blue light (380-420 nm).
  • Antennae appear to house light-sensitive magnetosensors crucial for this compass.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides convincing evidence for a light-dependent inclination magnetic compass in monarch butterflies.
  • This magnetic compass is vital for orientation, especially when daylight cues are limited.
  • The findings highlight the importance of specific light wavelengths (<420 nm) and antennae in magnetoreception for migration.