How Fast Mosquitoes Can Fly
WouterDepending on the species, mosquitoes can fly at speeds of between one and 1.5 miles per hour. Their wings are small compared to other insects’, so they need to beat their wings hundreds of times per second. It’s difficult to determine the speed of a mosquito’s flight, though. A specialized Doppler machine can help.
The speed of a mosquito’s flight depends on how high it goes and what species it is. The most common mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae, are capable of flying at 1 to 1.5 miles per hour when they are out of the wind. They can also fly at great distances. Some species are capable of flying up to seven miles from their breeding ground.
Scientists have long tried to figure out how mosquitoes flap their wings. Some insects, such as bumble bees, have large wing flaps. But the wings of mosquitoes are tiny, so they don’t generate large amounts of lift. Instead, they create a vortex, which enables them to move.
The mosquito’s wings beat up to 800 times per second. This is four times faster than the wings of most other flying insects. The mosquito’s wing stroke is complex and takes advantage of the mechanical infrastructure of the wing. It also recycles energy from the previous stroke.
When the mosquito reaches a certain height, it’s wings lose their lift. The wings then rotate tightly, creating a more horizontal surface and launching the mosquito into flight.
