The firefly is one of the few favorite insects of people. Although most of us would hardly recognize them in daylight, we have all been speechless when we see them at night.
These little glowing creatures turn out to be quite interesting. Here are 10 interesting facts about fireflies. And no, if you close them in a jar, you will not save on your electricity bill. Nor will you be able to enjoy them to the fullest!
1. Fireflies are insects from the order Beetles, section Lampyridae, which in Greek means “luminous”. There are more than 2000 species of fireflies, and not all of them glow. The largest of them is the Greater Firefly. Even its eggs emit a weak light.
Some types of firefly larvae have gills and are aquatic animals, while others live in trees. Fireflies feel best in warm and humid climates, so they are found on almost all continents of the Earth. They live in the tropics, as well as in temperate climates, and appear in the summer. Fireflies inhabit forests, fields and swamps near water bodies, because they need a humid environment to survive.
2. Only males have wings – females are wingless. Male fireflies with well-developed wings reach about 4.5 cm in length, while wingless worm-like female specimens with wings – reach up to 4.8 cm. The larvae resemble female fireflies in their elongated body.
3. Unlike most insects, fireflies are beneficial predatory insects that destroy many pests. Their larvae are considered the most predatory, attacking mainly land snails, as well as caterpillars and soft-bodied worms. They feed on a variety of invertebrate crawling animals.
Large fireflies feed on pollen and nectar or do not feed at all.
These few species that lead a carnivorous lifestyle switch from eating snails to eating other fireflies in adulthood.
4. The most notable feature of these insects is their narrow light organs. They are usually located on the hind limbs of the narrow abdomen. The light in fireflies is obtained as a result of a complex oxidative chemical process that takes place in some large cells. The process is also called “bioluminescence”. In this process, only 98% of the energy that is emitted is converted into light. This is interesting to note, since in ordinary fireflies this percentage reaches only 4%. Scientists call this type of light “cold”.
The body of a firefly contains a special chemical element called luciferin and an enzyme – luciferase. When light is to be produced, these two elements are combined, and when this combination occurs, energy is released in the form of light. These complex molecules have been specially designed to emit light. The location of each atom that makes up the molecules is determined by this plan. The process of light itself is a chemical, oxidative process that is regulated by the cerebral ganglion in the head.
5. The glow of fireflies has an important biological role. Thanks to this process, carried out by them, these magical insects communicate with each other. It is through this process that the male and female fireflies are found.
During the day, the female firefly hides in a hole, from which she crawls out at night and attaches herself to a branch or leaf. After that, she bends her head and raises the end of her abdomen. When she starts to glow, she attracts the male. Thanks to her large eyes, the male can easily see the glowing female and reach her with her well-developed wings. The light can be yellow, light red, green or orange. It is believed that a person can see the light of fireflies from a distance of 90 meters.
Males emit a flashing light, while females glow constantly. When female fireflies feel threatened, they stop glowing. The tiny fireflies, the babies, only light up when they are in danger and are trying to chase away an attacker.
6. For most fireflies, the light emission is chaotic. But not for Photinus carolinus, whose courtship ritual is extremely synchronized. The pattern is a series of five to eight flashes of yellow light, followed by a period of darkness lasting eight to ten seconds.
Today, fireflies capable of this are found along the banks of rivers in Southeast Asia, in the jungles of Malaysia and the Philippines, where they mate year-round. In the Western Hemisphere, the mating season is very short, lasting only about two weeks each year.
Synchronous fireflies can be seen in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, USA, Congaree National Park in South Carolina, Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania, Oak Ridge Area Wildlife Management in Tennessee, and Cajon Bonito in Arizona.
7. After making contact, the fireflies turn off their lights and mate for hours with their tails facing each other. In this way, the male repels his rivals, and that night they cannot reach the female. However, the next night she is ready to mate with another.
8. The reproduction of these insects is that the females lay their eggs on some moss or at the base of the grass tufts. Laurels turn into real fireflies after 3 years. Adult fireflies live only about two months – long enough to mate and lay eggs.
9. Fireflies can be poisonous. When attacked, they start a process called “reflex bleeding”. They throw out drops of blood with a bitter taste of chemicals that are poisonous to vertebrates like lizards, and sometimes even to birds.
10. Light and pollution are the reasons we don’t see fireflies in cities. The glow bugs are usually seen in June, July and August. Another reason we don’t see fireflies in cities is that their habitat is constantly changing, as green spaces are becoming less and less. Light pollution prevents communication between male and female fireflies. They are scared of people, and artificial lighting, street lamps and flashing advertising signs prevent them from finding each other and breeding.
Illustrative Photo by Skyler Ewing: https://www.pexels.com/photo/winter-firefly-in-macro-shot-photography-8013165/
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First published in this link of The European Times.