# Flight of the Bumblebee

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-of-the-bumblebee/495793>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [May 8, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-of-the-bumblebee/495793 "2009-05-08T21:51:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-of-the-bumblebee/495793/1 "2009-05-08T21:51:31Z")

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Back in 1990, Uncle Cece addressed the issue of whether or not [“Is it impossible for bumblebees to fly?”](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1076/is-it-aerodynamically-impossible-for-bumblebees-to-fly)

Now, we have some new information on the subject:

[Video about Bumblebee study](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/30642283#30642283)

Anyone have a link to information about what the Oxford study actually ended up saying?

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-of-the-bumblebee/495793/2 "2009-05-08T22:06:54Z")

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[http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news\_stories/2009/090507\_2.html](http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2009/090507_2.html)

> [@](#):
>
> "Our observations show that, instead of the aerodynamic finesse found in most other insects, bumblebees have a adopted a brute force approach powered by a huge thorax and fuelled by energy-rich nectar,’ said Dr Bomphrey. ‘This approach may be due to its particularly wide body shape, or it could have evolved to make bumblebees more manoeuvrable in the air at the cost of a less efficient flying style.’
> 
> Professor Adrian Thomas of Oxford’s Department of Zoology, co-author of the report, said: ‘a bumblebee is a tanker-truck, its job is to transport nectar and pollen back to the hive. Efficiency is unlikely to be important for that way of life.’