Colloquium: Miniature insect flight

The flight of the bumblebee has long been a source of fascination, in part because the lift requirements cannot be explained by conventional steady fluid dynamics, and unsteady aerodynamic mechanisms must be invoked. In addition, viscous effects are important for the majority of flying insects, which are an order of magnitude smaller than bumblebees. This leads to different wingbeat patterns and aerodynamic mechanisms. In this Colloquium, recent advances in the study of the mechanics of flight in these miniature insects are reviewed.