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Spiraling Flight Behavior May Integrate The Biological Compass Systems Of Migratory North American Monarch Butterflies, (Danaus Plexippus, L.), Matthew M. Douglas
Spiraling Flight Behavior May Integrate The Biological Compass Systems Of Migratory North American Monarch Butterflies, (Danaus Plexippus, L.), Matthew M. Douglas
The Great Lakes Entomologist
Here I report a unique spiraling flight and orientation behavior (comprising multiple clockwise and counterclockwise circles coupled by extended figure-8 patterns) observed in free-flying “late” migratory monarchs released under sunny ambient field conditions from a location with an unobstructed view of the sky. Following this spiraling flight, migrants continue to fly at very high altitudes until a final orientation and migratory flight direction is established with vanishing bearings statistically concentrated to the SW/W. These results provide preliminary evidence for the possible calibration and use of an inclination magnetic compass that can be used under all local free-flying field conditions. During …