How many times has insect flight evolved?

How many times has insect flight evolved?

• A. Twice
• B. Three times
• C. Once
• D. Not at all

Answer: (C)

Flight in insects arose once, in the ancestor of all winged insects. This is supported by the shared wing structure and developmental plan seen across diverse winged groups, plus fossil evidence showing early insects with developed wings from the same broad lineage. After this single origin, many descendants later lost the ability to fly, but the capacity itself traces back to a single evolutionary event rather than multiple independent origins.

Flight in insects arose once, in the ancestor of all winged insects. This is supported by the shared wing structure and developmental plan seen across diverse winged groups, plus fossil evidence showing early insects with developed wings from the same broad lineage. After this single origin, many descendants later lost the ability to fly, but the capacity itself traces back to a single evolutionary event rather than multiple independent origins.