Fig. 6. A male taking off and flying without jumping. (A) Selected images of the take-off starting from an initial position in which the long axis of the body is inclined upwards by 25°. (B) Graphs of the changes in the angles of the joints between the meso- and metathorax (m/m), between the metathorax and abdomen (m/a) and between the femur and tibia (f/t) of a hind leg. The height of the tip of a hind wing and the height of the body above the ground are also plotted. (C) Tracings of the movements of the abdomen, thorax and head during the jump. The abdomen is not flicked forwards during the movement. The take-off velocity was 0.9 m s^-1 and the angle of the thorax relative to the ground was 30°, so that the trajectory was forwards and upwards.

Return to article