Name: The dance of the dung beetle
Uploaded: 2012-12-13T16:00:50Z
Duration: 16 min 51 s
Description: A dung beetle has a brain the size of a grain of rice, and yet it shows a tremendous amount of intelligence when it comes to rolling its food source -- animal excrement -- home. How? It all comes down to a dance.

A dung beetle has a brain the size of a grain of rice, and yet it shows a tremendous amount of intelligence when it comes to rolling its food source -- animal excrement -- home. How? It all comes down to a dance. 

Marcus Byrne: The dance of the dung beetle

The dance of the dung beetle

Dung beetles' celestial navigation showcases their complex behaviors, using the sun and polarized light to maintain direction.

Innovatively, dung beetles cool down by climbing atop their dung balls, a behavior mirroring humans' use of shade to regulate temperature.

Dung beetles exhibit path integration, a sophisticated navigation technique, enabling precise returns to their nests with food.