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FastestThings

Insects

Urbanus proteus

Balciunas and Knopf 1977, reprinted by Dean, give Urbanus proteus an airspeed of 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), n=98. The ground-speed cell for the same sample is 10.1 mph (4.5 m/s).

An urbanus proteus can travel 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), a verified measurement.

Also known as long-tailed skipper
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Top speed

Published as 6.1 m/sPublished as 6.1 m/sPublished as 6.1 m/s

Dean, Table 1. Urbanus proteus 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), n=98, average, airspeed, free flying, Balciunas and Knopf 1977. The same authors and sample size have a ground-speed cell of 10.1 mph (4.5 m/s). The figure is the airspeed, 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s).

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

In context

  • 58% 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
  • 21% 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 15 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 an urbanus proteus travel?

An urbanus proteus can travel 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), a verified measurement.

Is that figure claimed or verified?

Urbanus proteus 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, Urbanus airspeed.”

Where does Urbanus proteus rank?

Urbanus proteus is 7th of 10 on Fastest Insects.

Mechanism

Why it's so fast

Urbanus proteus is ranked at 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s) airspeed, n=98, from Balciunas and Knopf 1977. The same sample’s ground-speed cell is 10.1 mph (4.5 m/s). The airspeed is the one that counts. About 2.2 mph per m/s puts 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s) near 13 mph.

Airspeed
13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), n=98
Ground speed
10.1 mph (4.5 m/s), n=98
Source
Balciunas 1977

  1. Two cells, one study

    Dean says 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s) as A / A / FF and 10.1 mph (4.5 m/s) as A / G / FF, both n=98, both Balciunas and Knopf 1977. Airspeed is motion through the air. Ground speed is motion over the ground. This list keeps the airspeed when the table separates them.

  2. A large sample

    Ninety-eight insects is the largest count among these butterfly rows. The average is not one spectacular pass. The slower ground-speed cell stays beside the main figure so the two are not averaged into a third number.

Provenance

Every measurement

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

  1. 22.0km/h13.6mph6.1m/s11.9knRanked figure

    Dean, Table 1. Urbanus proteus 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), n=98, average, airspeed, free flying, Balciunas and Knopf 1977. The same authors and sample size have a ground-speed cell of 10.1 mph (4.5 m/s). The figure is the airspeed, 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s).

    10.1 mph (4.5 m/s) is the ground-speed cell, n=98, same citation. It does not count.

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

Reference

Specs

Species
Urbanus proteus
Airspeed
13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), n=98
Ground speed
10.1 mph (4.5 m/s), not the figure

Context

Background

Urbanus proteus, the long-tailed skipper, has two cells in Dean’s table from Balciunas and Knopf 1977, both with n=98. The airspeed cell is 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), coded average and free flying. The ground-speed cell is 10.1 mph (4.5 m/s). The figure is 13.6 mph (6.1 m/s), qualifier verified, because this list stores airspeed when the table separates the two.

Ninety-eight insects is the largest sample among these butterfly rows. The slower ground-speed cell stays beside the main figure so the two quantities are not averaged together.

Head to head

Compare Urbanus proteus

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