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Full-Text Articles in Biomechanics
Beneficial Aerodynamic Effect Of Wing Scales On The Climbing Flight Of Butterflies, Nathan Slegers, Michael Heilman, Jacob Cranford, Amy Lang, John Yoder, Maria Laura Habegger
Beneficial Aerodynamic Effect Of Wing Scales On The Climbing Flight Of Butterflies, Nathan Slegers, Michael Heilman, Jacob Cranford, Amy Lang, John Yoder, Maria Laura Habegger
Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering
It is hypothesized that butterfly wing scale geometry and surface patterning may function to improve aerodynamic efficiency. In order to investigate this hypothesis, a method to measure butterfly flapping kinematics optically over long uninhibited flapping sequences was developed. Statistical results for the climbing flight flapping kinematics of 11 butterflies, based on a total of 236 individual flights, both with and without their wing scales, are presented. Results show, that for each of the 11 butterflies, the mean climbing efficiency decreased after scales were removed. Data was reduced to a single set of differences of climbing efficiency using are paired t …