Hovering is a bother for bees: Fast flight is more stable
Thursday, March 14, 2013 - 11:30
in Mathematics & Economics
Bumblebees are much more unstable when they hover than when they fly fast, according to new research. Scientists used a mathematical model to analyze the way bumblebees fly at different speeds, showing that the bumblebee is unstable when it hovers and flies slowly, and becomes neutral or weakly stable at medium and high flight speeds.