A new study recently showed that the ability of feather wing beetles to fly at speeds and accelerations of insects thrice their size results from a reduced wing mass, as well as a previously unidentified type of wing-motion cycle.
A study published in the Nature journal describes flight speed as favorably associated with animal body size. The researchers said their experiment combines three-dimensional reconstructions of morphology and kinematics in one of the tiniest insects known as the beetle Paratuposa placentis with a body length of 395 μm.
Essentially, the flapping bristled wings follow a pronounced "figure-of-eight" loop consisting of subperpendicular up-and-down strokes succeeded by claps and stroke reversals on top of and below the body.
The elytra function as inertial brakes that stop excessive body oscillation. More so, computational evaluations propose the wingbeat cycle's functional decomposition into power half strokes, which generate a massive upward force, and two down-dragging recovery half strokes.
Preserving Good Aerial Performance During Miniaturization
Contradicting heavier membranous wings, the movement of bristled wings of a similar size necessitates little inertial power.
Moreover, muscle mechanical power requirements stay positive all over the wingbeat cycle, making elastic energy storage outdated.
Such adaptations explain how extremely tiny insects are preserving good aerial performance during miniaturization, one of the evolutionary success' factors.
Researchers also explained that the study findings reported expanding their insight into flight mechanics at "low Reynolds numbers," as specified in a related Cosmos report.
More so, they added, in flight, there is a need for tiny insects to generate forces to support their weight in conditions of high viscous drag on both the wings and the body.
Kinematic Strategies Used
The beetle Paratuposa placentis uses kinematic strategies, maximizing wing-flapping amplitude although at the potential cost of a rise in inertial power requirements.
This has been resolved by ptiloptery, an efficient structural architecture that cuts inertial costs of wing flapping, making elastic energy storage outdated and decreasing the flight muscles' peak mechanical power requirements.
The P. placentis's wingbeat cycle is extremely functionally divided into power, not to mention slow-recovery strokes.
Resulting in 'High-Amplitude' Body Pitch Oscillation
The wings generate pronounced high torques that lead to high-amplitude body pitch oscillation. Inertial braking that moving elytra provide represents an ingenious solution to this issue, improving posture stability minus offering added forces for flight.
In this beetle species, such mechanisms enhance the temporal distribution of muscle mechanical power requirements and contribute to the maintenance of aerial performance at a very tiny body size.
Such findings may one day help scientists develop new miniature flying machines. The researchers said they do not perform such a study to devise small flying robot species; even though, in principle, the study results may ultimately be used to lessen the unmanned flying aircraft's size or enhance the smaller models of such aircraft's performance. Presently it is not probable to make flying machines tinier than half a millimeter.
According to Inside Science, the study authors are examining the flight of other tiny insects to shed light on their roles and biology in ecosystems.
Related information about the flying miniature is shown on the Nature's YouTube video below:
Check out more news and information on Beetles in Science Times.
