Bumble Bees

[Otrere]

How do Bumble Bees fly when their wings are too small to carry their body weight?

[jake-the-peg]

This is a really hoary old chestnut - it comes in many flavours.

Three's a nice little artical about it here: http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20040911/mathtrek.asp

But basically I think "Science proclaims Bumble Bees cant fly" is an urban myth

[LordyGeordie]

i remember reading the answer to this somewhere.

apparently it was a question which had puzzled scientists for years until a few years ago it was discovered that the surface of a bees wing when viewed under a microscope was very rough.

i'm no scientist so if this answers a bit vague please excuse me. but apparently it was thought the roughness of the surface created air currents or something which helped provide the 'lift' for the bumblebee.

i remember it said if they could tie down exactly how it worked it could revolutionise air travel as aeroplane wings would only need to be a fraction of the size they are.

[jake-the-peg]

I've heard that it was because the wings flex and because they generate lift on the up and down stroke.

I guess it just goes to show how a story like this can really develop legs....er ...wings?