As summer approaches, here are 11 cool things about fireflies that you might not know. Fireflies are beetles. Whether you call them fireflies or lightning bugs, these insects are neither flies nor true bugs. Instead they are beetles, just like ladybugs and rhinoceros beetles. Like other beetles, fireflies have a pair of hardened wing cases, called elytra, that the wings fold underneath. The elytra open for liftoff like gull-wing doors on a car, freeing the wings for flight.
There are more than 2, species of firefly worldwide. Fireflies are found all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica—and they are incredibly diverse. There can be many species sharing just one habitat. In fact, you are probably looking at multiple species when you are watching them in your own yard. Flashes are the firefly language of love. Fireflies use flashes as mating signals. The flashes that you see in your yard are generally from males looking for females. They flash a specific pattern while they fly, hoping for a female reply.
If a female waiting in the grass or bushes likes what she sees, she responds back with a flash of her own. Each species has its own pattern—a code that lets individuals identify appropriate mates of the same species. Not all fireflies flash. While all fireflies light up in their larval forms, there are many species of fireflies that do not use light as an adult mating signal. Less romantically, female fireflies in the genus Photuris mimic the flash of females in the genus Photinus attracting Photinus males, which they lure in to eat.
Not only do the Photuris females get food, they also incorporate chemicals from the Photinus males that make them distasteful to predators. Speaking of predators, firefly blood contains a defensive steroid called lucibufagins, which makes them unappetizing to potential hunters. Once predators get a bite, they associate the unpleasant taste with firefly light and avoid attacking the lightning bugs in the future. The larvae of most fireflies are predaceous, beneficial insects that feed on snails, slugs and worms.
When they become adults, fireflies may eat pollen, nectar or nothing at all! The few species that remain carnivorous through adulthood eat other types of fireflies. Talk about a strange diet! When their habitat is overtaken, fireflies do not relocate. Instead, they just disappear. Instead, put a small piece of washed apple and a small clump of fresh grass in the jar, or moistened paper towel in the bottom, keeping the air in the jar moist, and it gives the fireflies something to grab onto.
The grass is for them to climb on and hide in. Every day, unscrew the jar lid and blow across the top of the jar. This keeps the air in the jar fresh. Most adults never eat. They did all their eating as larvae.
Fireflies only live a few days or weeks, and we need them outside to mate. Unlike some other insects, fireflies are no bother to us humans. In the News. About Bee Better Naturally. On-line School. Helen's How-tos. Hire Helen. Meet Helen.
Life Cycle of Fireflies Like all beetles , fireflies undergo complete metamorphosis with four stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Throughout that time, they are only capable of flying and laying eggs for approximately two months. With about 2, species of firefly worldwide, there will, naturally, be some variability in their lifespan. Some species can remain in the larval stage for up to two years and their luminescence keeps them safe over that time.
A firefly's ability to emit bioluminescent light is made possible by the enzyme luciferase. Chemical reactions in the body, when oxygen combines with calcium and other elements, produce light. Much like glow-in-the dark toys or glow-sticks, the light does not produce heat as a light bulb would. While the light in adult fireflies helps to attract mates, in the larval stage, the light also acts as a warning to predators. Firefly larvae produce a defensive chemical that is distasteful to predators.
The light warns other creatures to avoid eating the larvae. Glow worm is a term often used to describe the larvae of fireflies, but the term actually refers to a separate family of beetles called Phengodidae.
This uncommon group of beetles have similar habitats and behaviors to fireflies, but it is only the female and larva that are luminescent. The term glow worm is also used to describe a group of flies known as fungus gnats, some of which are bioluminescent. Jean Godawa is a former science educator and freelance writer with a degree in biology and environmental science.
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