Water lily beetles are little speed demons, flitting from one pad to another at half a meter (1.6 feet) per second. Now, thanks to a study conducted by Stanford bioengineering assistant professor Manu Prakash and his students, the secret to its mode of flight has been unraveled. Turns out the insects (Galerucella nymphaeae) perform a routine before their flight, wherein they step on the water before lifting their legs one by one so that only…
High-speed video shows how water lily beetles sprint on water
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