Thu Feb 20 00:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Ants Navigate at Night Using Polarized Moonlight, Study Finds
**Kolkata, India – February 20, 2025** – For the first time, scientists have discovered that nocturnal bull ants utilize polarized moonlight for navigation, even under a crescent moon. Researchers at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, found that two species, *Myrmecia pyriformis* and *Myrmecia midas*, use the faint polarization patterns in moonlight – a million times dimmer than sunlight – to orient themselves during foraging. This is only the second instance of an animal using this method, the first being the dung beetle.
The study, published [publication details omitted], revealed that the ants successfully used polarized moonlight throughout the lunar cycle. Experiments using a polarized light filter demonstrated that the ants adjusted their paths in response to changes in the light’s polarization, confirming their reliance on this celestial compass. While the ants’ ability to use polarized moonlight persisted across lunar phases, their navigational accuracy decreased during waning phases.
The research team utilized paired tests and statistical analysis to measure the ants’ heading shifts under varying lunar conditions and filter rotations. The magnitude of these shifts varied depending on the distance between the ants and their nests, with longer distances resulting in more reliable navigation.
While the study highlights the ants’ remarkable navigational abilities, further research is needed to determine whether they use a time-compensated lunar compass or integrate other cues, such as panoramic views, for navigation. The researchers propose future studies to investigate this, potentially by manipulating the ants’ access to the sky and surrounding landmarks.
First Piper 