#flapping flight

Like fighter pilots of old, male dragonflies engage in aerial combat where each tries to outmaneuver the other to keep a sight on their rival's tail. A recent study observed this combat in the field and uncovered some surprising similarities to dogfighting. (Image and research credit: S. Fabian et al.; via Ars Technica)

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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