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For their size, butterflies have a big pair of wings. They fly with wings that can weigh them down and allow predators to catch up on them. But as it turns out, butterflies have a unique takeoff style that makes them quicker.<\/p>\n
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In a study published in the Journal of the Royal Surface Interface<\/em>, researchers from Lund University<\/a> in Sweden found that butterflies \u201cclap<\/em>\u201d their wings together to generate thrust. But instead of just slamming them together like two flat surfaces, they form a \u201cpocket<\/em>\u201d<\/a> that traps more air and provides them with an extra boost of speed during takeoff. \u201cIf you are a butterfly that is able to take off quicker than the others, that gives you an obvious advantage<\/em>,\u201d said Per Henningsson, a biologist and one of the study researchers.<\/p>\n Butterflies\u2019 complex propulsion technique<\/strong><\/p>\n Scientists have long puzzled over how butterflies move through the air. These pretty insects are not quite like other flying animals, such as birds and bats. \u201cThey have a very extreme wing shape \u2013 very large, short but very broad wings compared to their little body \u2026 That is a bit of a puzzle because that sort of wing is <\/em>quite inefficient<\/em><\/a>,\u201d explained Henningsson.<\/p>\n Butterflies fall prey to a variety of animals, such as frogs, spiders, lizards and birds. With many creatures on their tail, butterflies are exposed to great danger. \u201cIt\u2019s a strong selective pressure then because it\u2019s a matter of life and death<\/em>,\u201d said Henningsson.<\/p>\n Past studies have shown that butterflies clap their wings at the end of the upstroke to generate propulsion. But data on that wing clap is lacking. To that end, the researchers recorded free-flying butterflies in slow motion to learn more about this flying motion. They found that the wings of butterflies form a cup shape during the upstroke \u2013 just before clapping \u2013 to generate thrust. The winged creatures then find weight support during the downstroke.<\/p>\n The researchers also observed that butterflies perform the wing clap \u201cin a far more advanced way<\/em>\u201d than previously thought. When their wings meet, they are not just two flat surfaces slamming together; instead, they form a \u201cpocket<\/em>\u201d that captures more air and improves the butterflies\u2019 speed.<\/p>\n Butterflies takeoff style \u2013 an evolutionary advantage<\/strong><\/p>\n As part of their experiment, the researchers created two pairs of simple mechanical wings, one set rigid and the other flexible like true butterfly wings. The team found that the flexible wings were 28 percent more energy-efficient and 22 percent better at generating force than the rigid ones.<\/p>\n Henningsson said that it\u2019s still not clear if butterflies use the pocket technique while in free flight, but during the take-off phase, they definitely do it a lot. The researchers believe that the enhanced takeoff technique gives butterflies an evolutionary advantage that helps them escape predators. \u201cTo minimize the risk of capture, butterflies typically <\/em>take off very fast<\/em><\/a> and suddenly, and many of them fly in an erratic and unpredictable manner<\/em>,\u201d Henningsson said.<\/p>\n