# flying insects

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-insects/197501>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 25, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-insects/197501 "2003-08-25T13:17:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-insects/197501/1 "2003-08-25T13:17:18Z")

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Can insects fly backwards? If they can’t, why not?

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**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-insects/197501/2 "2003-08-25T13:20:58Z")

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Dragonflies can.

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**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-insects/197501/3 "2003-08-25T13:22:41Z")

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Dragonflies, damselflies and bumble bees can certainly fly backwards.

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**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-insects/197501/4 "2003-08-25T13:26:42Z")

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[First site](http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Animals/intermediate/insects-01.html) on Google:

> [@](#):
>
> …Insects can twist and turn their wings which helps them to stay in one spot ( hover) up in the air or **even fly backwards.**

(bolding mine)