# Evolution of insect flight:  once or multiple times

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-insect-flight-once-or-multiple-times/361470>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 20, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-insect-flight-once-or-multiple-times/361470 "2006-06-20T19:46:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-insect-flight-once-or-multiple-times/361470/1 "2006-06-20T19:46:48Z")

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Simple question. Does the fossil record indicate whether or not the ability to fly arose multiple times in insects or just once, and all flying bugs are descendants of that one critter?

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-insect-flight-once-or-multiple-times/361470/2 "2006-06-20T20:09:36Z")

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It is believed that flight arose just once among the insects, and all present flying insects are descended from a single lineage. The flying insects most similar to the ancestral form are perhaps the mayflies.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-insect-flight-once-or-multiple-times/361470/3 "2006-06-22T03:26:19Z")

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Many thanks!

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-insect-flight-once-or-multiple-times/361470/4 "2006-06-22T03:31:05Z")

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[Origin of insect flight](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_evolution#Origin_of_insect_flight)