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Migrating insects fly in the fast lane

News

Posted on Friday 5 February 2010

A study involving researchers at the University of York sheds new light on the flight behaviours that enable insects to undertake long-distance migrations, and highlights the remarkable abilities of these insect migrants.

Many insects avoid cold British winters by migrating south in autumn to over-wintering sites around the Mediterranean. Migrant insects then return to the UK in spring. How such small insects undertake journeys of several thousands of kilometres has long fascinated scientists.

As well as researchers in the Department of Biology at York, the study involved Rothamsted Research (an institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council), the Met Office, the Natural Resources Institute, and the Universities of Exeter and Greenwich. It was funded by BBSRC.

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