Every year, more than 700 million migratory insects fly through the skies of Israel.

The study's lead author said the insects don't simply "drift with the wind," but rather choose when and how they fly like migratory birds.

In a groundbreaking study, scientists at the University of Haifa (Israel) have discovered that more than 700 million migratory insects fly through the skies over the northern part of the country every year.

They fly on purposeful routes through a narrow ecological corridor connecting Africa, Asia and Europe.

The research, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, provides a rare glimpse into the little-known but massive migration of insects high in the atmosphere.

The study focused on the Levantine corridor – a narrow strip of land between the Mediterranean and the Syrian desert, which is considered by biologists to be an important migration route for birds.

No previous studies have confirmed the role of this area for insects, but through this study, scientists have proven that this corridor is also an "aerial highway" for insects, with a traffic volume of up to hundreds of millions of individuals each year.

Dr. Yuval Werber, lead author of the study, said that every year a “huge, invisible stream” of insects moves through the skies of Israel, connecting ecosystems across continents. These insects do not simply “drift with the wind,” but rather choose when and how they fly, just like migratory birds.

Over the course of eight years, the team used seven bioradars installed along the Levantine Corridor to track insect movements. They recorded more than 6.3 million flights of large insects such as butterflies, moths, dragonflies and beetles. The radars were able to distinguish insects from birds and bats, and collected data on altitude, wingbeat frequency, flight direction and more.

The results showed that insects do not fly randomly but have the ability to actively navigate: many species were recorded flying against the wind, choosing directions and times with favorable weather conditions such as warm temperatures and tailwinds.

Scientists estimate that more than 700 million insects larger than houseflies migrate through the Levantine Corridor each year. There is a marked seasonality to this migration: in the spring (March to June), insects mainly fly north, possibly to breeding grounds in Europe and Asia. In the fall (August to November), they return south to avoid the cold.

What is remarkable is that the number of migratory insects is significantly higher in spring than in autumn, contrary to the common trend in many other parts of the world where insects usually migrate south in large numbers when winter comes. This phenomenon suggests a special ecological role for the Levantine corridor, and raises new questions about the environmental cues that insects use to determine the timing of their migration.

Insect migrations, which largely occur at altitudes beyond human observation, play a vital role in global ecosystems, from pollinating crops to distributing nutrients. However, they can also contribute to the spread of pests and diseases, making their study urgent in the context of environmental management and public health .

By revealing the “invisible life” that goes on in the sky, this research opens up new directions in science, emphasizing the importance of monitoring airborne ecosystems across borders and continents./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/every-year-there-are-more-than-700-million-troubles-flying-through-israel-post1047304.vnp