A species of tortoiseshell butterfly can fly as high as 5,791 meters, making it the highest-flying insect ever recorded by humans.
The answer to the question of the record altitude that insects can reach divides into two categories: the highest altitude ever recorded for a flying insect and the theoretical maximum altitude that insects can achieve, according to IFL Science.
The tortoiseshell butterfly flies thousands of meters high during migration. (Photo: Reflex Nature).
The Guinness World Record for the highest flying insect belongs to the tortoiseshell butterfly Aglais urticae. This migratory butterfly was observed flying above the Zemu Glacier in the eastern Himalayas at an altitude of 5,791 meters. With such flying capabilities, they could nearly reach the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Providing a specific altitude that insects can fly is a challenge. “We can collect insects at altitudes of 1,524 to 1,828 meters,” said researcher Phil Pellitteri from the Wisconsin-Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab. “But wind is a significant factor in the movement of insects, and it’s very difficult to determine whether they are flying or being carried along.”
All flying organisms, such as birds, insects, or bats, are limited in the altitude they can achieve due to three factors: air density, temperature, and oxygen concentration. As altitude increases, the air becomes thinner. With fewer gas molecules available to lift the wings of birds or insects, flying becomes more difficult. The same is true for oxygen, which is essential for insects to breathe and function.
The air density and oxygen concentration drop to only half of what it is at sea level at an altitude of 6,000 meters. At that height, the temperature of the air drops to around -20 degrees Celsius. At 10,000 meters, the air temperature is -50 degrees Celsius. At these temperatures, the tiny muscles of flies or bees cannot function to help keep their wings beating continuously.
In 2014, scientists led by Michael Dillon, a researcher in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming, conducted an unusual experiment in which alpine bees were placed in a chamber simulating low air pressure at high altitudes. In the simulated conditions, the research team found that some bees could fly at an altitude of around 9,000 meters, higher than Mount Everest, at least theoretically.
The decrease in air density forced bees to adapt by changing their wing movements, banking in wider arcs to compensate for reduced air resistance. However, the research team acknowledged that in reality, bees are less likely to fly at such altitudes, especially under low temperatures that could harm their muscles.
Insects do not need wings to soar high in the sky. According to British researcher Jason Chapman, during a windy summer month, 3 billion insects can fly high above. The closer to the equator, the more insects are found in the air. Most of them, including many wingless species, disperse thanks to the wind. They can travel thousands of kilometers and land in entirely different areas around the world. Moreover, some insects seem to have evolved to take advantage of wind currents and time their migrations for optimal seasons.
