May you touch Fireflies and Stars, Dance with the Fairies On the Music of the Night-Jars!
Indeed, your summer is incomplete without witnessing the beautiful Lightning Bugs glittering in the nature and wild. Here we take you through the mind-blowing facts of Fireflies:
1. They don’t go with their surnames
Fireflies are actually not flies, they are Beetles. Though there are more than 2000 species of fireflies, only some of the species have the ability to light up.
2. Dating style
Males that do glow use their flash to attract females. Each species has its own pattern of light flashing. Typically, the females sit immobile, and only flash back when they see a male with a particularly impressive display.
3. Not all Fireflies are same!
Each species has their own specific color of light they produce. Some glow blue or green while others glow orange or yellow.
4. Chemical Locha
Researchers figured out the chemical reaction called Luciferase through Fireflies and how to create synthetic luciferase. Some people still collect the enzyme from the flying lanterns. Luciferase is used in scientific research for food safety testing and some forensic tests.
5. Beauty with Brains—Cannabalistic Combination!
Generally, Fireflies tend to eat mites and pollen. However, female fatales of the genus Photuris like the taste of their own. Using “aggressive mimicry,” the female of this particular subfamily waits for a male firefly to flash, then imitates that male’s flash pattern, suggesting that she is a receptive mate. After luring him in, she chows down.
6. You got a New Match!
In some places at some times, fireflies synchronize their flashing. If a bunch of male fireflies are flashing the pattern at the same time, they are more likely to attract females. Researchers aren’t sure why fireflies do this, but some theories include competition or to make them more noticeable.
7. They are disappearing too!
Firefly populations are declining, including climate change and the harvesting of luciferase from them, light pollution and habitat destruction. When firefly habitats are destroyed for roads or other construction, they don’t migrate to a new spot, they simply disappear.
Let’s Contribute a bit to the Nature by awareness. It’s time to aware that the human Race have to share this Planet with many other species. Development is important but not at the cost of killing other species. We all believe in “Veni, Vidi Venia- We Came, We Saw, We Left!”
