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FastestThings

Animals · Ranked by top speed

Fastest Insects in the World (2026)

The fastest insect here is a claimed 89 mph (145 km/h) for a male Hybomitra hinei horsefly, an unrefereed pellet chase that T.J. Dean cites from Kunzig 2000. The fastest refereed airspeed is the desert locust at about 21 mph (9.3 m/s) from Waloff 1972, so the horsefly leads as a claim rather than a lab trial.

10 rankedA source on every row
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The hybomitra hinei leads this list, at 90.1 mph (145 km/h), a claimed figure.

People also ask

What leads this list?

The hybomitra hinei leads this list, at 90.1 mph (145 km/h), a claimed figure.

Is that figure claimed or verified?

Hybomitra hinei is labeled Claimed. Stated by a manufacturer, owner or publication without independent timing.

What is the source?

The figure cites University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology, “Book of Insect Records, Chapter 1, horsefly prose.”

What is second?

The austrophlebia costalis is next, at 36.0 mph (58 km/h), an official figure.

10 insects, ties share a rank.

  1. 1
    Hybomitra hinei

    Horsefly · unrefereed estimate

    145km/h90.1mph40.3m/s78.3kn3.9× Bolt
    ClaimedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)
  2. 2
    Austrophlebia costalis

    Dragonfly · Guinness short burst

    58km/h36.0mph16.1m/s31.3kn1.5× Bolt
    OfficialGuinness World Records (opens source in a new tab)
  3. 3
    Desert locust

    Schistocerca gregaria · Waloff airspeed

    33.5km/h20.8mph9.3m/s18.1kn89% of Bolt
    VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)
  4. 4
    Western honey bee

    Apis mellifera · empty worker, tethered

    29.9km/h18.6mph8.3m/s16.1kn80% of Bolt
    VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)
  5. 5
    Calpodes ethlius

    Hesperiidae · free-flight airspeed

    27.0km/h16.8mph7.5m/s14.6kn72% of Bolt
    VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)
  6. 6
    Historis acheronta

    Nymphalidae · free-flight airspeed

    23.4km/h14.5mph6.5m/s12.6kn62% of Bolt
    VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)
  7. 7
    Urbanus proteus

    Hesperiidae · airspeed, not ground speed

    22.0km/h13.6mph6.1m/s11.9kn58% of Bolt
    VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)
  8. 8
    Tabanus bovinus

    Horsefly · video of fast passes

    20.6km/h12.8mph5.71m/s11.1kn55% of Bolt
    VerifiedResearchGate, reprinting Entomologia Generalis (opens source in a new tab)
  9. 9
    Manduca sexta

    Sphingidae · flight-chamber maximum

    18.0km/h11.2mph5m/s9.7kn48% of Bolt
    VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)
  10. 10
    Cicindela hybrida

    Tiger beetle · table maximum 6.7 mph (3 m/s)

    10.8km/h6.7mph3m/s5.8kn29% of Bolt
    VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)

Guinness puts the Australian dragonfly Austrophlebia costalis at a short-burst airspeed of 36 mph (58 km/h). The famous 61.3 mph (98.6 km/h) timing from 1917 was ground velocity over 240 feet to 269 feet (73–82 m) and is not a row. A black cutworm’s 60.3 mph to 70.2 mph (97–113 km/h) ground speed, with an airspeed of only 5.6 mph to 8.1 mph (9–13 km/h), is wind and is excluded. The tiger beetle at 6.7 mph (3 m/s) is on the list because Dean says it, and the cited paper is locomotion on hot sand rather than flight.

Ten species, each with the method code or the record sentence beside the figure.

The lineup · 10 on file

Meet the insects

One card per entry, with its headline figure and where it ranks.

Ranked by top speed

Fastest Insects

  • Hybomitra hinei

    Horsefly · unrefereed estimate

    Top speed
    145km/h90.1mph40.3m/s78.3knClaimed1.4× cheetah

    #1 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Austrophlebia costalis

    Dragonfly · Guinness short burst

    Top speed
    58km/h36.0mph16.1m/s31.3knOfficial1.5× Bolt

    #2 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Desert locust

    Schistocerca gregaria · Waloff airspeed

    Top speed
    33.5km/h20.8mph9.3m/s18.1knVerified89% of Bolt

    #3 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Western honey bee

    Apis mellifera · empty worker, tethered

    Top speed
    29.9km/h18.6mph8.3m/s16.1knVerified80% of Bolt

    #4 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Calpodes ethlius

    Hesperiidae · free-flight airspeed

    Top speed
    27.0km/h16.8mph7.5m/s14.6knVerified72% of Bolt

    #5 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Historis acheronta

    Nymphalidae · free-flight airspeed

    Top speed
    23.4km/h14.5mph6.5m/s12.6knVerified62% of Bolt

    #6 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Urbanus proteus

    Hesperiidae · airspeed, not ground speed

    Top speed
    22.0km/h13.6mph6.1m/s11.9knVerified58% of Bolt

    #7 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Tabanus bovinus

    Horsefly · video of fast passes

    Top speed
    20.6km/h12.8mph5.71m/s11.1knVerified55% of Bolt

    #8 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Manduca sexta

    Sphingidae · flight-chamber maximum

    Top speed
    18.0km/h11.2mph5m/s9.7knVerified48% of Bolt

    #9 of 10 · Fastest Insects

  • Cicindela hybrida

    Tiger beetle · table maximum 6.7 mph (3 m/s)

    Top speed
    10.8km/h6.7mph3m/s5.8knVerified2.2× walking

    #10 of 10 · Fastest Insects

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