How do bees fly?

In the flying tactics of bees, scientists drove the bees into a transparent plastic box, in which three high-speed video recorders were installed to take 3D snapshots of bees at a speed of 6,000 times per second. They found that the circling bees often flap their wings one centimeter long at the speed of 240 times per second, and the amplitude of each flap is only 90 degrees, which is smaller than other insects, but the flapping speed is faster. Because other insects flap less than 200 times per second, the amplitude of each flap exceeds 165 degrees. According to the consistent assumption of flight experts, the smaller an insect is, the faster its wings flap. In this respect, bees are an exception. For example, the Italian bee (Apis mellifera) flaps its wings with a width of10mm up to 240 times per second, much faster than the much smaller fruit fly, which flaps only 200 times per second. Why do bees with short wings flap their wings as quickly as possible? In order to find this, the researchers also observed how these insects fly at low pressure and high altitude. When they fly into hives with low concentrations of oxygen and helium, the air inside is as thin as 9200 meters above sea level. At this time, in order to support their own flight, bees have to increase the flapping range to close to 140 degrees, which is close to the flapping range of other insects. This unusual flight mode of bees is to meet the different needs they face in flight. Because, in changing the speed, short-distance playing is faster and long-distance playing is faster.

The researchers found that changing the direction of bee wings can generate extra power. The key work in the field of insect flight research is Charles Illington of Cambridge University and other scientists, including Dixon. The large-scale robot insect model built by Dixon in 1996-the flying robot helped a lot. When the robot wings beat back and forth, they measured the strength of different parts. Scientists have found that the lift generated by bees is unstable, but the maximum force is generated at the beginning, middle and end of each flap. Another strange force is the known extra mass force, which can peak at the end of each jump. This force can also increase the acceleration when the wing direction changes. In other words, changing the direction of wings can generate extra power. The researchers found that most insects flap their wings more often, while bees flap their wings less often, but more violently. One way of being is inefficient and unstable. Scientists believe that this unusual flight mode of bees is to adapt to the different needs they face in flight. They are the lightest when looking for honey; When they are covered with pollen or eggs, they weigh twice as much as usual. In changing the speed, the short distance is faster and the long distance is faster, so the flight mode of bees can greatly change their upward power. Agree 0| Comment Agree 0| Comment