Ladder-walking locusts use vision to climb, show big brains aren't always best
Sunday, December 27, 2009 - 22:14
in Biology & Nature
Scientists have shown for the first time that insects, like mammals, use vision rather than touch to find footholds. They made the discovery thanks to high-speed video cameras that they used to film desert locusts stepping along the rungs of a miniature ladder. The study sheds new light on insects' ability to perform complex tasks, such as visually guided limb control, usually associated with mammals.