Such a Long Journey
The most powerful propellers in aviation history aren’t made by Boeing or Airbus
Pramila N. Phatarphekar
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06 Aug, 2009
A dragonfly species is believed to make the world’s longest insect migration, all the way from India to Africa
The most powerful propellers in aviation history aren’t made by Boeing or Airbus. They belong to a dragonfly species believed to make the world’s longest insect migration, all the way from India to Africa. Using just transparent shimmering wings and the back of monsoon winds, these globe skimmers, also known as wandering gliders, undertake this 14,000-18,000 mile odyssey annually. Maldives-based biologist Charles Anderson has published his findings in the Journal of Tropical Ecology. He says their flight includes stops in the Seychelles and Uganda till their arrival in Mozambique in December. It takes four generations of dragon flies to make this epic journey, which has been unnoticed till now. At 5 cm in body-length, dragonflies are too small to be radar-spotted.
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