▁looking ▁at ▁the ▁cel est ial ▁orientation ▁of ▁h oney be es . ▁The ▁natural ▁sky ▁polar ization ▁pattern ▁serves ▁as ▁an ▁easily ▁detected ▁comp ass . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁polar ization ▁patterns , ▁these ▁species ▁can ▁orient ▁themselves ▁by ▁determ ining ▁the ▁exact ▁position ▁of ▁the ▁sun ▁without ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁direct ▁sun light . ▁ ▁Thus ▁under ▁cloud y ▁sk ies , ▁or ▁even ▁at ▁night , ▁animals ▁can ▁find ▁their ▁way . ▁ ▁Using ▁polar ized ▁light ▁as ▁a ▁comp ass ▁however ▁is ▁no ▁easy ▁task . ▁ ▁The ▁animal ▁must ▁be ▁capable ▁of ▁detect ing ▁and ▁analyz ing ▁polar ized ▁light . ▁These ▁species ▁have ▁special ized ▁phot ore cept ors ▁in ▁their ▁eyes ▁that ▁respond ▁to ▁the ▁orientation ▁and ▁the ▁degree ▁of ▁polar ization ▁near ▁the ▁z en ith . ▁They ▁can ▁extract ▁information ▁on ▁the ▁intensity ▁and ▁orientation ▁of ▁the ▁degree ▁of ▁polar ization . ▁They ▁can ▁then ▁incorpor ate ▁this ▁vis ually ▁to ▁orient ▁themselves ▁and ▁recognize ▁different ▁properties ▁of ▁surfaces . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁clear ▁evidence ▁that ▁animals ▁can ▁even ▁orient ▁themselves ▁when ▁the ▁sun ▁is ▁below ▁the ▁horizon ▁at ▁tw il ight . ▁ ▁How ▁well ▁insect s ▁might ▁orient ▁themselves ▁using ▁no ct urn al ▁polar ization ▁patterns ▁is ▁still ▁a ▁topic ▁of ▁study . ▁So ▁far , ▁it ▁is ▁known ▁that ▁no ct urn al ▁cr ick ets ▁have ▁wide - field ▁polar ization ▁sens ors ▁and ▁should ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁night - time ▁polar ization ▁patterns ▁to ▁orient ▁themselves