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Insects

Historis acheronta

Dudley and Srygley 1994, reprinted by Dean, measured Historis acheronta at 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s) airspeed. The cell averages 11 insects in free flight.

A historis acheronta can travel 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s), a verified measurement.

Also known as Orion cecropian
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Top speed

Published as 6.5 m/sPublished as 6.5 m/sPublished as 6.5 m/s

Dean, Table 1. Historis acheronta 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s), n=11, average, airspeed, free flying, Dudley and Srygley 1994. A later Srygley 2001 cell of 9.6 mph (4.3 m/s), n=1, does not count. The figure is 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s).

VerifiedUniversity of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)

In context

  • 62% of Usain Bolt's 100 m world-record paceSourced · Usain Bolt, 100 m in 9.58 s. World Athletics, Berlin 2009. Averaged over the race
  • 22% of a cheetah's timed top speedSourced · Cheetah, 29 m/s. Sharp 1997, mean of three timed runs over 201.2 m
  • A football field in 14 sConstant · American football field, 100 yd (91.44 m)

Worked out from the sourced figure above, which stays the ranked number.

Quick answers

People also ask

How fast can a historis acheronta travel?

A historis acheronta can travel 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s), a verified measurement.

Is that figure claimed or verified?

Historis acheronta is labeled Verified. Independently measured and published, for example in a peer-reviewed study or with certified timing.

What is the source?

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

Where does Historis acheronta rank?

Historis acheronta is 6th of 10 on Fastest Insects.

Mechanism

Why it's so fast

Historis acheronta is ranked at 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s) airspeed, n=11, free flight, from Dudley and Srygley 1994. Eleven insects is a larger sample than the skipper cells that rest on one or two animals. About 2.2 mph per m/s puts 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s) near 14 mph.

Airspeed
14.5 mph (6.5 m/s)
Sample
n=11
Later cell
9.6 mph (4.3 m/s), n=1

  1. An average, not a single dash

    The code is A / A / FF. The 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s) is the average airspeed of those 11 butterflies, not a maximum plucked from one pass. A later Srygley 2001 cell of 9.6 mph (4.3 m/s), n=1, is slower and does not count.

  2. Why the sample matters

    Dean notes that insect speeds inside one species spread out, and that many early figures are a single measurement. Eleven free-flight airspeeds are firmer than a one-insect cell, which is why this row is kept even though 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s) is not the top of the list.

Provenance

Every measurement

Claimed, measured and official figures side by side, each with its source. The ranked figure is marked.

  1. 23.4km/h14.5mph6.5m/s12.6knRanked figure

    Dean, Table 1. Historis acheronta 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s), n=11, average, airspeed, free flying, Dudley and Srygley 1994. A later Srygley 2001 cell of 9.6 mph (4.3 m/s), n=1, does not count. The figure is 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s).

    Eleven insects. The 9.6 mph (4.3 m/s) cell is a different study.

    Verified
    University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology (opens source in a new tab)

Reference

Specs

Species
Historis acheronta
Airspeed
14.5 mph (6.5 m/s)
Sample
n=11, free flight

Context

Background

Historis acheronta is a nymphalid butterfly. Dean’s table says 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s), n=11, coded average airspeed in free flight, from Dudley and Srygley 1994. Eleven insects is a larger sample than the skipper cells that rest on one or two animals. The figure is 14.5 mph (6.5 m/s), qualifier verified.

The same table has a later Srygley 2001 cell of 9.6 mph (4.3 m/s) for this species, n=1. That slower cell does not count. Ground speeds that include a tailwind stay off this list.

Head to head

Compare Historis acheronta

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