Dung Beetles Navigate by the Milky Way

Dung beetles are fascinating creatures. The earliest records of them go back to ancient Egypt

around the fourth century B.C. But one of the most fascinating things about them was discovered

very recently in the 21st century. Some nocturnal dung beetles, like Scarabus satyrus,

use the Milky Way to navigate where they are going. It sounds magical, right?

Let's break it down. Dung beetles depend completely on dung for their nutrition. They don't need

to eat or drink anything else. They even use the dung balls they make to lay their

eggs. Their sense of smell is extremely sharp, which helps them find fresh piles

of dung quickly. But they face intense competition amongst themselves, and other beetles