He discovers that when they’re not buzzing around your lunch, insects can be routinely found flying high up in the atmosphere travelling from A to B. There are also ground-dwelling bumblebees living in the mountains of Sichuan, China that have demonstrated an ability to fly at altitudes higher than the highest point on the planet.

But leaving aside how high insects DO fly, how high COULD they fly if given the chance? Alex explores the theoretical limits of insect flight with the help of a bit of biomechanics – before contemplating the ultimate heights of the International Space Station where the mystery of whether a fruit fly will fly in zero gravity is finally answered.

Contributors:

Jason Chapman, University of Exeter

Inés Dawson, science youtuber and expert in insect flight biomechanics

Michael Dillon, University of Wyoming

Wes Shaw, Head Gardener, Sky Garden

Sharmila Bhattacharya, NASA

Presented by Alex Lathbridge

Produced by Ben Motley for the BBC World Service

[Photop credit: Getty Images]