Abstract
The establishment of the characteristic adult flight and its motor pattern has been followed behaviourally and electrophysiologically in locusts of exactly known ages. In the last two larval instars there is repetitive firing in the flight muscles but the alternation of antagonists typical of adult flight is not present (Pig. 3). Alternation can first be seen late in the last larval instar and the full adult pattern is recognizable in most animals by day 3 of adult life. Competent flight behaviour is established by day 4 or 5. In this period the coupling between elevator and depressor neurones improves and the pattern stabilizes (Figs. 4 and 6) but the time course of the whole process varies considerable between individuals. After this the only major change is an increase in wingbeat frequency from about 15–20 Hz at fledging to 25–35 Hz in the second or third week (Fig. 5).
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