THIN-WALLED expansions of the trachea known as air sacs occur in those insects

which have well-developed powers of flight. Misconception as to the function of these

structures is common. They have been described as pumps, as reservoirs, and as
balloons. The first term alone seems to give an accurate description of their function,
for Lee has made it clear that they must ventilate the trachea: each air sac, when
compressed, expels the air from the trachea between it and the spiracle. As reservoirs
the sacs could be of little use to aerial insects, for the oxygen they contain would last
but a very short time during flight, while there is an unlimited supply of air only a
little farther from the tissues.