Image 1. A Duterty's wings lifted during off. As the wings snap together in a wing clap, they will propel the butterfly forward. Photo Stephen Dalton Science Source Photo: Stephen Dalton Science Source
Butterflies flutter when they fly. This is thanks to their large wings. This fluttery flight helps them
get away quickly from predators. Now scientists at Lund University in Sweden know how they do
it.
They clap their wings above them when they take off. This creates jet propulsion. This is the act of
pushing an object in one direction by ejecting a liquid or gas, such as air, in the opposite
direction. Aircraft like planes use jet propulsion to get off the ground. And now, scientists know
that butterflies use this method, too. In January 2021, scientists published their findings.
Studying Butterflies
Christoffer Johansson and Per Henningsson led the new study. They are evolutionary ecologists.
They study how flight has developed in animals.