A new study from the University of Haifa, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, has found that over 700 million large insects (the size of a fly or larger) migrate each year across a narrow strip of northern Israel known as the “Levantine corridor.” Located between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the Syrian Desert to the east, this corridor previously lacked any data on insect migration.
The study shows that these insects travel at altitudes of hundreds of meters and adjust their movement according to weather conditions—specifically wind direction, temperature, and season. Remarkably, many do not simply drift with the wind but actively navigate in a preferred direction, even when flying against it.
“Each year, a massive and invisible stream of insects passes overhead, connecting ecosystems across Africa, Asia, and Europe,” said Dr. Yuval Werber of the University of Haifa, who led the study. “We found that insects choose when and how to fly—just like migratory birds—based on changing environmental conditions.”
Insect migration is a widespread natural phenomenon, yet largely invisible due to its occurrence at high altitudes. Despite going unnoticed, it has a profound impact on ecosystems and human life: shaping food chains, pollinating plants, distributing nutrients—and also spreading pests and diseases.
The Levantine corridor is a narrow ecological passageway for flying animals, situated between harsh desert and sea environments. This region offers comparatively favorable living conditions, making it a likely migratory route for insects moving between Africa, Asia, and Europe. However, until now, studies on insect migration in this area have been limited to anecdotal observations or ground-level light trap captures, with no systematic analysis of high-altitude movements.
To address this gap, the research team—including Dr. Werber and Prof. Nir Sapir of the University Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Elior Adin of the Hula Research Center at Tel-Hai College, and colleagues from the UK and China—set out to characterize insect migration over Israel’s skies for the first time. Their study assessed the scale, timing, weather dependencies, and navigational strategies of migrating insects.
Using seven biological radars positioned along the Levantine corridor, the researchers systematically tracked high-altitude insect migration. These radars detect flying animals, distinguish insects from birds and bats, and record key metrics such as flight altitude, speed, direction, and wingbeat frequency. Over eight years, the radars documented more than 6.3 million individual insects weighing over 10 milligrams—including butterflies, moths, dragonflies, and various beetles. Data were filtered to ensure accurate identification, and flight data were cross-referenced with meteorological conditions such as wind, temperature, and humidity.
The study found that over 700 million large insects pass through the Levantine corridor each year. Migration occurs primarily during two seasons: in spring (March-June), the insects move northward, likely toward Europe and Asia; in autumn (August-November), they migrate southward to warmer regions. Notably, spring migration was significantly larger than autumn migration—a reversal of the pattern typically observed in other regions, where southward movements tend to dominate.
The study also revealed that insects migrate in a purposeful, autonomous way. Many fly in a consistent, preferred direction—even against the wind—and time their flights to coincide with favorable conditions such as tailwinds and warm temperatures. These behaviors reflect advanced navigational skills and seasonal adaptability, comparable to those of birds.
In a comparative analysis with insect migration data from 17 European sites, researchers found an unexpected result: despite the Levantine corridor’s central location between three continents, it hosted significantly fewer migratory insects than Europe. “We expected millions of insects to converge here, just like birds do—but we were surprised to find this wasn’t the case,” the researchers said. “It may be that insects cannot detect or reach this narrow corridor, or that the energy required to divert toward it is simply too great. This finding challenges a core assumption about insect migration and raises new questions about evolution, orientation, and behavior at high altitudes.”