bee speed

randydrivesabus · May 23, 2006, 07:06:21 AM

so how fast do they fly?

Michael Bush · May 23, 2006, 08:38:46 AM

http://www.beesource.com/pov/wenner/bsjun1992.htm

"during field work we use a simple formula: x = 150y - 500 (straight line in Figure 1). That is, to estimate distance (x = meters or yards) to each colony, we multiply complete round trip time (y = time between arrivals) by 150 and subtract 500 from the result. (The constant value of 500 represents the time spent filling at the station and unloading in the colony - see Wenner 1963). "

It'd too early to do the math right now. See if you can figure it out.

Jerrymac · May 23, 2006, 10:09:03 AM

http://reports.discoverychannel.ca/servlet/an/discovery/1/20060404/discovery_?s_name=&no_ads=

http://www.bumblebarf.com/

Finsky · May 23, 2006, 11:19:54 AM

I remember that bee fly without load 20 km/h and with load 25 km/h.

It's wings beets 400 per second.

http://www.physorg.com/news8616.html

.

Scott Derrick · May 23, 2006, 06:24:57 PM

12 MPH.

randydrivesabus · May 23, 2006, 06:40:09 PM

they seem to be going so much faster than that.....

Scott Derrick · May 23, 2006, 07:02:59 PM

Well...really I've seen their speed published all over the net differently. Some say 12, 15, 22 mph. It's hard to say I guess. I know when they come out of the hive at me when I don't have my suit on they fly about 150 mph... :D

Scott

yoderski · July 06, 2006, 10:39:20 AM

I know this has been addressed before, but I was able to observe my bees yesterday flying out over an open field. The sky was overcast, and it was about 5 o'clock in the evening, and I could follow their flight for 100-200 meters before they disappeared. I noticed 2 things. Most of them would make a circle or two up in front of the hive before they headed out on their way--I don't know what the function of that is, probably to get their bearings. The other thing is that the speed of bees published is much too slow. It is no exaggeration to say that they were covering 100 meters in 4-6 seconds which is over 30 mph, closer to 40 mph. Which explains the observation of them flying 100mph when they are flying out at you...

yoderski · July 06, 2006, 10:40:08 AM

Except, I don't know about the wind--they may have had a little tailwind!

thegolfpsycho · July 06, 2006, 01:03:04 PM

Holy smokes!! You can see a bee in flight from 100 to 200 meters??? I can barely make out a 747 at that distance. :lol: I find the bees can fly faster than I can run, and futher than I can run too! I have to agree with rsderrick. When they're mad at me, they are even faster!

yoderski · July 06, 2006, 07:22:55 PM

Yes, the sky was just right, with a dull gray background, just the right amount of light--I had never been out there when the background was perfect like that. Normally, I can't see more than 20 feet or so, but I am certain of what I saw....

fcderosa · July 06, 2006, 10:38:31 PM

Iâ€™ve noticed that a mad Italian out of the hive will hit me in the forehead with about as much force as a junebug in the forehead at about 50 MPH while traveling on a motorcycle. Iâ€™d have to say 50 MPH.

Jerrymac · July 06, 2006, 10:40:34 PM

Quote from: randydrivesabusso how fast do they fly?

They'll get there when they get there.

TwT · July 06, 2006, 10:44:44 PM

some how when they are coming after my fingers they move faster than i do so I will vote real fast ;)

Dick Allen · July 07, 2006, 02:50:06 AM

The books give a figure of 24 km/hr, or about 15 mph for an average flight speed, but it's never that simple. Leslie Goodman writing in 'Form and Function in the Honey Bee':

"It is a long-held observation that honey bees fly lower on slow upwind flights than when moving fast downwind, and it is assumed that they try to maintain a constant preferred optical flow rate of images moving from front to back beneath them during flight. It has been calculated that the preferred optical flow rate is about 3.5 rad/s for the honey bee."