The Speed of Insects

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2135, 28 July 1898, Page 2

The Speed of Insects

It is the popular belief that the flight of birds is much swifter than that of the insects, but a number of naturalists who have been making a study of the matter think that such is not the case. A common house fly, for example, is not very rapid in its flight, but its wings make 800 beats a second, aud send it through the air twentyfive feet, under ordinary circumstances in that space of time. When the insect is alarmed, however, it has been found that it can increase its rate of speed to over 150 feet per second. If it mould continue such rapid fight for a mile in a straight line it Would cover that distance in exactly thirty-three t-eco d< - . It is riot an uncommon thing when travelling by rail in tho summer time to see a bee or wasp keeping up with .rhe train, and trying to get in at one of the windows. A swallow is considered one of the swiftest of flying birds, and it was thought until a short time ago that no insect could escape it. A naturalist tells of an exciting chase he saw between a swallow and a dragon fly, which is among th-. swiftest pf insects. The insect flew with inciedi de .'-p ed, and wheeled and dodged with such ease that the swallow, despite its utmost efforts, completely failed to overtake and capture i .