Abstract
The path of a butterfly may appear haphazard to us, but there is a method to the fluttering. A UK team of scientists put transponders on butterflies and monitored their flight paths. They found that the looping paths appear to help with orientation and food detection. The rest of the time, the insects flew straight at speeds up to 6 miles an hour. They appeared able to detect hazards from 200 meters, and food sources at 100 meters. See the BBC News story for more information.