Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Dimensionless Groups in Fluid Mechanics

Dimensionless Groups in Fluid Mechanics

Dimensionless groups in fluid mechanics provide simplified ratios that help analyze fluid behavior without relying on specific units. The Reynolds number (Re), which represents the ratio of inertial to viscous forces, distinguishes between laminar and turbulent flows, making it essential in the design of pipelines and aerodynamic surfaces. The Froude number (Fr), the ratio of inertial to gravitational forces, is particularly useful in predicting wave formation and hydraulic jumps in...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Swarms of female<i>Anopheles gambiae</i>mosquitoes may fracture when perturbed.

Physical biology·2026

Same author

Topological interactions account for border dynamics of murmurations and transit flocks.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2025

Same author

Why swarming insects have perplexing spatial statistics.

Physical biology·2025

Same author

Spatial correlations in laboratory insect swarms.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2024

Same author

Mosquito swarms shear harden.

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter·2023

Same author

Phase transitions in insect swarms.

Physical biology·2023

Same journal

Multiphysics Investigation on Thermal Characteristics of Internal Bio-Inspired V-Ribbed Cooling Channels for Outer Rotor PMSM.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Smart Logistics Model for Supply Chain Management via Brain-Inspired Geometric Deep Networks.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

A Systematic Taxonomy of the Sunflower Optimization Algorithm: Variants, Hybridization Strategies, Applications, and Research Directions.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Toward a Compositional Theory of Trust in Embodied Intelligence: A QNLP Framework for Modeling Context, Interaction, and Trustworthiness.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Empirical Logic for Bio-Inspired Soft Computing: Illustrative Applications in Control Engineering and Cluster Analysis.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

A Modified Multi-Strategy Dhole Optimization Algorithm and Its Engineering Applications.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2025

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

Swarming Insects May Have Finely Tuned Characteristic Reynolds Numbers.

Andy Reynolds¹

¹Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK.

Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)

|November 26, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Higher-order stochastic models of insect swarms are biologically implausible. Analysis of *Chironomus riparius* midge swarms suggests flight dynamics destabilize at extreme Reynolds numbers, limiting model complexity.

Keywords:

Reynolds numbers collective motion stochastic modelling swarming turbulence

More Related Videos

Insect-machine Hybrid System: Remote Radio Control of a Freely Flying Beetle Mercynorrhina torquata

Insect-machine Hybrid System: Remote Radio Control of a Freely Flying Beetle Mercynorrhina torquata

Published on: September 2, 2016

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Rearing Procedure of Germ-Free Wasps

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Rearing Procedure of Germ-Free Wasps

Published on: July 21, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2025

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

Insect-machine Hybrid System: Remote Radio Control of a Freely Flying Beetle Mercynorrhina torquata

Insect-machine Hybrid System: Remote Radio Control of a Freely Flying Beetle Mercynorrhina torquata

Published on: September 2, 2016

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Rearing Procedure of Germ-Free Wasps

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Rearing Procedure of Germ-Free Wasps

Published on: July 21, 2023

Area of Science:

Theoretical ecology
Insect behavior
Biophysics

Background:

Stochastic models are used to represent insect swarm trajectories, often assuming continuous, jointly Markovian processes.
Current models typically employ first-order or second-order autoregressive processes for positions, velocities, and accelerations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the biological feasibility of extending stochastic models of insect swarming to higher orders.
To determine if higher-order models accurately reflect insect flight dynamics and swarm stability.

Main Methods:

Theoretical analysis of higher-order autoregressive processes in the context of insect flight dynamics.
Empirical validation using pre-existing laboratory data from swarms of the non-biting midge *Chironomus riparius*.

Main Results:

Mathematical extension to higher-order models introduces terms that can biologically destabilize insect flight.
Analysis of *Chironomus riparius* data supports the prediction that higher-order models are not biologically sound.
Swarm disintegration observed at both low and high Reynolds numbers suggests a finely tuned property of swarming.

Conclusions:

Higher-order stochastic models are biologically unrealistic for describing insect swarming behavior.
The Reynolds number plays a critical role in maintaining swarm integrity, with optimal ranges for stability.