Resonance Model of the Indirect Flight Mechanism

Abstract

Insects (Insecta Arthropoda) one of the groups of flying animals along with birds (Aves Vertebrata), are divided into two groups. One has a direct flight mechanism (wing driven by the “direct” muscles) and the other has an indirect flight mechanism (wing driven by the “indirect” muscles). The latter is known as “constant wing vibration”. It is different from the asynchronous flight (wing driving) muscular contraction-relaxation frequency, although the precise mechanism is still unknown. At the 1st International Symposium on Aqua Bio-Mechanisms, I reported on a new mechanical model of the indirect flight mechanism (Miyake 2000). This research is a further development on it as a mechanically reconstructed resonance model. Honeybees(Apis Mellifera) were also investigated. To clarify the indirect flight mechanism two new approaches were employed; one was to measure the vibrating frequency of three parts, that is, the flight muscles, the chest wall (external skeleton, exoskeleton) and the wing; the other was to make a new mechanical model as a resonance model that wings resonate with the vibration of the chest wall (exoskeleton), which is encouraged by the flight muscular with relatively slower contraction. Measurement of the vibration of these three parts revealed that the beating frequency of the wings and the frequency of the chest wall (exoskeleton) vibration were almost the same, although the flight muscles vibrate relatively slower than others. The objective of the new model is to simulate the resonance between the chest wall (exoskeleton) and the wings. It was found the string instead of the chest wall (exoskeleton) vibrated at the number of the proper vibration not the driving (picking) frequency. In other words, the model successfully simulated the indirect flight mechanism.