#flapping flight

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Moths Taking Flight

Insect flight is vastly different than the aerodynamics engineers learn around aircraft. That's particularly apparent looking at these tiny moths taking off and flying in slow motion. (Video and image credit: Ant Lab/A. Smith)

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Flying Foxes

A sweltering day in India brought out the local giant fruit bats (also called Indian flying foxes) to keep cool in the river. Normally nocturnal, they made a rare daytime appearance to beat the heat.  (Image credit: H. Shelat; via Colossal) Read the full article

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

"Mason Bee at Work"

Mason bees like this one build landmarks to help them navigate as they construct a shelter for their eggs. Even hauling materials, these bees can easily stay aloft.  (Image credit: S. Zankl; via Wildlife POTY) Read the full article

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Tracking Insects in Flight

Insects are masters of a challenging flight regime; their agility, stability, and control far outstrip anything we've built at their size. But to even understand how they accomplish this, researchers must manage to capture those maneuvers in the first place.  (Video and image credit: Science; research credit: T. Vo-Doan et al.) Read the full article

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Moths in Flight

Moths and butterflies are such unique fliers among insects. Compared to their bodies, their wings are often enormous. High-speed video reveals the complex motions of their wing strokes.  (Image and video credit: A. Smith/Ant Lab) Read the full article

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Wasps in Flight

Personally, I've had some bad encounters with wasps, but Dr. Adrian Smith of Ant Lab feels the insects receive short shrift. In this video, he shows many species in the order -- most of which are venomless and stingless.  (Video and image credit: Ant Lab/A. Smith) Read the full article

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Saving Energy By Following a Leader

Scientists have long suspected that birds save energy by following a leader -- think of the V-shaped flight formation used by geese -- but a new study captures that savings directly. (Image credit: R. Gissler and S. Hao; research credit: S. Friman et al.; via Physics World) Read the full article

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Why Moths Are Slow Fliers

Hawkmoths and other insects are slow fliers compared to birds, even ones that can hover. To understand why these insects top out at 5 m/s, researchers simulated their flight from hovering to forward flight at 4 m/s. (Image and research credit: S. Lionetti et al.; via APS Physics; submitted by Kam-Yung Soh)