Aerodynamics of the Smallest Flying Insects

Laura A. Miller, Steven Harenber, Ty Hedrick, Alice Robinson, Arvind Santhanakrishnan, Audrey Lowe

Published 2011-10-15Version 1

We present fluid dynamics videos of the flight of some of the smallest insects including the jewel wasp, \textit{Ampulex compressa}, and thrips, \textit{Thysanoptera} spp. The fruit fly, \textit{Drosophila melanogaster}, is large in comparison to these insects. While the fruit fly flies at $Re \approx 120$, the jewel wasp flies at $Re \approx 60$, and thrips flies at $Re \approx 10$. Differences in the general structures of the wakes generated by each species are observed. The differences in the wakes correspond to changes in the ratio of lift forces (vertical component) to drag forces (horizontal component) generated.