How Could Beetle’s Elytra Support Their Own Weight during Forward Flight?

doi:10.1016/S1672-6529(14)60065-2

J4 ›› 2014, Vol. 11 ›› Issue (4): 529-540.doi: 10.1016/S1672-6529(14)60065-2

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How Could Beetle’s Elytra Support Their Own Weight during Forward Flight?

Tuyen Quang Le1,2, Tien Van Truong3,4, Hieu Trung Tran3, Soo Hyung Park3, Jin Hwan Ko1, Hoon Cheol Park5, Doyoung Byun6

1. Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Ansan P. O. Box 29 425-600, South Korea
2. Institute of High Performance Computing, 1 Fusionopolis Way, Singapore 138632, Singapore
3. Department of Aerospace and Information Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
4. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
5. Department of Advanced Technology Fusion, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
6. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea

Online:2014-09-30
Contact: Doyoung Byun E-mail:dybyun@skku.edu

Abstract

Abstract:

The aerodynamic role of the elytra during a beetle’s flapping motion is not well-elucidated, although it is well-recognized that the evolution of elytra has been a key in the success of coleopteran insects due to their protective function. An experimental study on wing kinematics reveals that for almost concurrent flapping with the hind wings, the flapping angle of the elytra is 5 times smaller than that of the hind wings. Then, we explore the aerodynamic forces on elytra in free forward flight with and without an effect of elytron-hind wing interaction by three-dimensional numerical simulation. The numerical results show that vertical force generated by the elytra without interaction is not sufficient to support even its own weight. However, the elytron-hind wing interaction improves the vertical force on the elytra up to 80%; thus, the total vertical force could fully support its own weight. The interaction slightly increases the vertical force on the hind wind by 6% as well.

Key words: wing interaction, elytra, beetle, free forward flight, three-dimensional numerical simulation

Tuyen Quang Le1,2, Tien Van Truong3,4, Hieu Trung Tran3, Soo Hyung Park3, Jin Hw. How Could Beetle’s Elytra Support Their Own Weight during Forward Flight?[J].J4, 2014, 11(4): 529-540.

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