Meeting Abstract

87.3  Wednesday, Jan. 7  Maximum accelerations during takeoff in the bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) BUCHWALD, Robert*; DUDLEY, Robert; University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Berkeley rbuchwald@gmail.com

Limits to locomotor performance can vitally influence the outcome of diverse behavioral interactions (e.g., predation), but studies of maximum acceleration have received little attention, especially for flying animals. To better understand limits to insect flight performance, we studied maximum linear accelerations during takeoff of the bumblebee, Bombus impatiens. Insects were released into a dark chamber with a perforated floor so as to preclude ground effects, and were filmed at 1000 frames/s during takeoff following visual stimulation with an overhead light. Velocity and acceleration profiles were calculated from digitized video sequences using a quintic spline function; accelerations averaged 3.8 m/s/s. Leg contributions to the takeoff were minimal; power estimates will be compared to those characterizing maximum load-lifting performance.