Fluid-dynamic characteristics of a bristled wing

• Published in: Journal of experimental biology Vol. 205; no. Pt 17; pp. 2737 - 2744
• Main Authors: Sunada, S, Takashima, H, Hattori, T, Yasuda, K, Kawachi, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-09-2002
• Subjects: Acceleration; Animals; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biophysical Phenomena; Biophysics; Flight, Animal - physiology; Insecta - anatomy & histology; Insecta - physiology; Models, Biological; Rotation; Wings, Animal - anatomy & histology; Wings, Animal - physiology
• ISSN: 0022-0949; 1477-9145
• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.205.17.2737

Thrips fly at a chord-based Reynolds number of approximately 10 using bristled rather than solid wings. We tested two dynamically scaled mechanical models of a thrips forewing. In the bristled design, cylindrical rods model the bristles of the forewing; the solid design was identical to the bristled one in shape, but the spaces between the 'bristles' were filled in by membrane. We studied four different motion patterns: (i) forward motion at a constant forward velocity, (ii) forward motion at a translational acceleration, (iii) rotational motion at a constant angular velocity and (iv) rotational motion at an angular acceleration. Fluid-dynamic forces acting on the bristled model wing were a little smaller than those on the solid wing. Therefore, the bristled wing of a thrips cannot be explained in terms of increased fluid-dynamic forces.