Energy expenditure and wing beat frequency in relation to body mass in free flying Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica)

Morphometrics and oxygen consumption were studied in about 35 sphingids, 50 saturniids, and 20 other heterothermic moths belonging to various families. For the pooled data of all species the regression of oxygen consumption on mass in grams is described by the following equations: at rest, cm3/h = 0.402 g0.775; during hovering flight, cm3/h = 59.430.818; during warm-up, cm3 = 1.186 g0.898. Similar equations are presented for the families Saturniidae and Sphingidae. In sphingids and saturniids thoracic mass, wing length, and wing area increased with body mass, whereas wing loading and aspect ratio were independent of body mass. The sphingids had higher wing loading, aspect ratio, and wing beat frequency during flight than the saturniids. Wing beat frequency was more tightly coupled to morphological parameters in sphingids than in saturniids. The allometry of resting and active aerobic metabolism in heterothermic moths is compared with that of reptiles, mammals and birds. The scaling of oxygen consumption during flight in the moths is almost identical to that of bats and birds.

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Changes in the wing-beat frequency of bees and wasps depending on environmental conditions: a study with optical sensors

Apidologie ◽

10.1007/s13592-021-00860-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Antonio R. S. Parmezan ◽

Vinicius M. A. Souza ◽

Indrė Žliobaitė ◽

Gustavo E. A. P. A. Batista

Keyword(s):

Optical Sensors ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Beat Frequency ◽

Wing Beat ◽

Wing Beat Frequency

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Evolution of the wave: aerodynamic and aposematic functions of butterfly wing motion

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2006.0261 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 274 (1612) ◽

pp. 913-917 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Robert B Srygley

Keyword(s):

Beat Frequency ◽

Warning Signal ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Butterfly Species ◽

Wing Beat ◽

Butterfly Wing ◽

Motion Cues ◽

Wing Beat Frequency ◽

Wing Motion ◽

Heliconius Cydno

Many unpalatable butterfly species use coloration to signal their distastefulness to birds, but motion cues may also be crucial to ward off predatory attacks. In previous research, captive passion-vine butterflies Heliconius mimetic in colour pattern were also mimetic in motion. Here, I investigate whether wing motion changes with the flight demands of different behaviours. If birds select for wing motion as a warning signal, aposematic butterflies should maintain wing motion independently of behavioural context. Members of one mimicry group ( Heliconius cydno and Heliconius sapho ) beat their wings more slowly and their wing strokes were more asymmetric than their sister-species ( Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius erato , respectively), which were members of another mimicry group having a quick and steady wing motion. Within mimicry groups, wing beat frequency declined as its role in generating lift also declined in different behavioural contexts. In contrast, asymmetry of the stroke was not associated with wing beat frequency or behavioural context—strong indication that birds process and store the Fourier motion energy of butterfly wings. Although direct evidence that birds respond to subtle differences in butterfly wing motion is lacking, birds appear to generalize a motion pattern as much as they encounter members of a mimicry group in different behavioural contexts.

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