Abstract
This paper is concerned with the biomechanics of insect flight. The experimental study on the free flight of a butterfly, Colias erate, was conducted with the high speed video camera. The take-off flight of the butterfly in the laboratory was observed, and the posture of butterfly body in the rising flight was analyzed using personal computer. It was found that the butterfly generates a rising force even in the upstroke of wing flapping. The flexibility of butterfly wings during insect flapping was revealed. The mechanism of butterfly flight in take-off and rising movements was discussed.
