Flight of the "supersonic" Bumble Bee !!

Robert Wilson

Robert Wilson

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I couldn't believe it!
There I was sailing at six+ knots in a lovely F4-5, just off the wind, when I saw a bumble bee fly from behind me, straight past and away off in front.

"Just off the wind", but I didn't know bees could fly so fast, into a strong wind!

Anyone think this is "Super-Bee"? Not a plane, not a bird - A bee :eek:
 
Bees look improbable enough but what always amazes me are butterflies. I have seen them flying fast into a 15kn wind, albeit close to the water or ground.
 
OK, wise guys - I had not been imbibing. :p
Well not since the night before :rolleyes:

Honest, this little furry, stripy thing buzzed past me.
I want to know who is it's wing (sail) maker.

One reason for the tardiness of Khamsin could have been that my genoa sheet leads weren't finely positioned, due to six rolls taken in.
Mea culpa!!
 
I'm often amazed at where bumble bees are encountered.
Furthest from land I've seen is 6 miles.

Not bad for something apparently so poorly aerodynamically designed!
 
Boring morning, so a quick google produces this:

The Science of the Flight of the Bumblebee
Studies of bumblebee flight revealed these insects are not as aerodynamic as other flying insects. Instead of both sides of their body working together to create a more efficient flying machine, both sides work against each other. Additionally, their wings move at a rate of up to 200 movements per second, which is 10 to 20 times faster than their nervous system should respond. What researchers have discovered, however, is that the wings do not flap at all; instead, they vibrate like rubber bands. A 2009 Oxford University study found the bee’s powerful thorax and its consumption of energy-rich pollen allow it to force its way through the air.

Speed Variations
While the average speed for a bumblebee is 3.3 yards per second, their speeds can vary with their activities. The fastest flying speeds have been recorded among foraging bees that can go as fast as 16 yards per second. These high speeds and their flying ability, in general, can be traced back to the structure of their wings, which are rigid in front and more flexible in the rear.

Who on earth measures speed in yards per second?? If my schoolboy mathematics is right, 3.3 yds/sec translates to 6.7 mph (or 5.8 knots if over the water!) and 16 yds/sec is 32.7 mph or 28 knots. So it is not surprising that a bee on a mission could overtake a Relaxed Robert. Heck, it could even give Seajet a run for his money in his Anderson 22!!

On a further bit of drift, the wing movement of 200 per second is 12,000 rpm, about the same as a modern Formula 1 car at full throttle. How can anything move so fast?

Time to go and study the bees on my lavender....
 
mjcoon said:
It would be nice, if you are going to flatly contradict someone, if you would cite a reference source...

Mike.
Click to expand...

Heres a source for you and you've got to love the pedantry :)
"Yes bumble bees (genus Bombus) and most social bee species make edible honey, but aside from “honey bees” most don’t store a lot of it (Trivia: “honey bee”, not “honeybee”, because they are true bees. A dragonfly is not a true fly, nor is a butterfly, so their name runs together as one word - as opposed to a “Horse fly” or a “House fly”)."

https://www.quora.com/Do-bumble-bees-make-honey
 
From the Journal of Applied Ecology

hA97a2N.png


15.7m/s is 30.5kt
 
Resolution said:
Boring morning, so a quick google produces this:

The Science of the Flight of the Bumblebee
Studies of bumblebee flight revealed these insects are not as aerodynamic as other flying insects. Instead of both sides of their body working together to create a more efficient flying machine, both sides work against each other. Additionally, their wings move at a rate of up to 200 movements per second, which is 10 to 20 times faster than their nervous system should respond. What researchers have discovered, however, is that the wings do not flap at all; instead, they vibrate like rubber bands. A 2009 Oxford University study found the bee’s powerful thorax and its consumption of energy-rich pollen allow it to force its way through the air.

Speed Variations
While the average speed for a bumblebee is 3.3 yards per second, their speeds can vary with their activities. The fastest flying speeds have been recorded among foraging bees that can go as fast as 16 yards per second. These high speeds and their flying ability, in general, can be traced back to the structure of their wings, which are rigid in front and more flexible in the rear.

Who on earth measures speed in yards per second?? If my schoolboy mathematics is right, 3.3 yds/sec translates to 6.7 mph (or 5.8 knots if over the water!) and 16 yds/sec is 32.7 mph or 28 knots. So it is not surprising that a bee on a mission could overtake a Relaxed Robert. Heck, it could even give Seajet a run for his money in his Anderson 22!!

On a further bit of drift, the wing movement of 200 per second is 12,000 rpm, about the same as a modern Formula 1 car at full throttle. How can anything move so fast?

Time to go and study the bees on my lavender....
Click to expand...

Love it! Positively Attenborough ;)
 
Resolution said:
Boring morning, so a quick google produces this:

The Science of the Flight of the Bumblebee
Studies of bumblebee flight revealed these insects are not as aerodynamic as other flying insects. Instead of both sides of their body working together to create a more efficient flying machine, both sides work against each other. Additionally, their wings move at a rate of up to 200 movements per second, which is 10 to 20 times faster than their nervous system should respond. What researchers have discovered, however, is that the wings do not flap at all; instead, they vibrate like rubber bands. A 2009 Oxford University study found the bee’s powerful thorax and its consumption of energy-rich pollen allow it to force its way through the air.

Speed Variations
While the average speed for a bumblebee is 3.3 yards per second, their speeds can vary with their activities. The fastest flying speeds have been recorded among foraging bees that can go as fast as 16 yards per second. These high speeds and their flying ability, in general, can be traced back to the structure of their wings, which are rigid in front and more flexible in the rear.

Who on earth measures speed in yards per second?? If my schoolboy mathematics is right, 3.3 yds/sec translates to 6.7 mph (or 5.8 knots if over the water!) and 16 yds/sec is 32.7 mph or 28 knots. So it is not surprising that a bee on a mission could overtake a Relaxed Robert. Heck, it could even give Seajet a run for his money in his Anderson 22!!

On a further bit of drift, the wing movement of 200 per second is 12,000 rpm, about the same as a modern Formula 1 car at full throttle. How can anything move so fast?

Time to go and study the bees on my lavender....
Click to expand...

And you accuse me of imbibing the falling-down juice!!
Thank you, that is a fascinating and informative piece of research.
Now go and have a cold shower.
Better still, repair to The D&P ;)
 
thank you for this thread, I have seen bumble bees off Hurst point, and the needles, and would swear it is a route for them to and from the Island, but the wife never sees them and thinks I am quite mad. They do seem very fast too
 
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