Lecture: Navigation Strategies of Migrating Monarch Butterflies
University of Massachusetts Medical School Professor and Chair of Neurobiology Steven M. Reppert, MD, has been a pioneering force in the effort to demystify the migration of the monarch. His previous research has demonstrated that the butterflies use a time-compensated sun compass and daylight cues to help them navigate to the pine groves. His studies have shown that time compensation is provided by the butterfly's circadian clock, which allows the monarch to continually correct its flight direction to maintain a fixed flight bearing even as the sun moves across the sky.
For more information about Dr. Reppert and his research, visit his web page.
This seminar is presented by the Entomology Division of the Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences. For more information, contact the seminar host, Dr. John Stoffolano, at (413) 545-1046.
