The common bumblebee or blowfly , that robust, hairy insect, black or with yellow, white or orange bands and that can sometimes bother us so much, can also surprise us.
According to a latest study published in Biology Letters and carried out by Michael E. Dillon and Robert Dudley, insects such as the bumblebee may be able to fly at an altitude of 9,000 meters , that is, somewhat more than the maximum height of the peak of the Mount Everest, considered the highest mountain in the world with a height of 8,848 meters above sea level.
How is this possible? Contrary to what one might think, bumblebees do not flap their wings faster when reaching higher altitude, but rather increase their range of flight ; that is to say, they extend the movement of their wings, moving them much more backward and much more forward than normal with each flap, thus compensating for the lack of air pressure.
