Collision-avoidance behaviors of minimally restrained flying locusts to looming stimuli.

ABSTRACT: Visually guided collision avoidance is of paramount importance in flight, for instance to allow escape from potential predators. Yet, little is known about the types of collision-avoidance behaviors that may be generated by flying animals in response to an impending visual threat. We studied the behavior of minimally restrained locusts flying in a wind tunnel as they were subjected to looming stimuli presented to the side of the animal, simulating the approach of an object on a collision course. Using high-speed movie recordings, we observed a wide variety of collision-avoidance behaviors including climbs and dives away from - but also towards - the stimulus. In a more restrained setting, we were able to relate kinematic parameters of the flapping wings with yaw changes in the trajectory o

SUBMITTER: Chan RW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3561775 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature