Fireflies are beautiful little creatures that emit light as a way to communicate. In the presence of an enzyme called luciferase, oxygen interacts with calcium, ATP, and luciferin, and this results in bioluminescence.
Delicate and mysterious
Firefly is the quintessential summer delight. It first appeared in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. You can’t help but smile when you see a firefly – it’s like they are winking at you. Firefly is green during the larval stage. As an adult, it turns yellow, red, or orange. There are 2,000 species of fireflies in the world, with only 16 found in North America.
Fireflies are the glow-worm beetles that you probably remember from your childhood. They emit light by a chemical reaction in the presence of an enzyme called luciferase. They are also called lightning bugs. These luminescent creatures use a special chemical reaction to attract mates and to claim their territory.
Fireflies are a magical symbol of summer.
These tiny little signals light up the night and signal the arrival of warmer weather. Here’s more about these wonderful little lights.
Even though fireflies are tiny, their light is so bright that it can be seen from a mile away. The story of their glow is fascinating and quite beautiful. Sadly, this process doesn’t make them any more friendly or easier to catch than they would be without the ability to emit light. Because the formula for firefly bioluminescence is still pretty dense and complicated, it is not entirely understood how they can do it. As you can see in this story, however, studying it has led to some pretty interesting things.
Why do they glow in the dark? Why do they need light to communicate?
They’re tiny, flying beetles that glow in the dark to attract prey or a mate. They are called “fireflies” because their abdomens appear to be glowing like a fire.
Fireflies are brightly colored beetles. Generally, they emit light to attract a partner. Some species delay emitting light until they are touched by another firefly.
Although less luminous than their common name, “firefly” suggests, these insects emit a soft yellow-green glow by night.
In summer evenings, fireflies light up the night. And in greenhouses fireflies sparkle in the fertile darkness. The light from these insects can be captured to grow vegetables and illuminate aquariums. Scientists are currently investigating whether bioluminescence can be harnessed for medical purposes.
Fireflies are well known for the bright bursts of light
They shoot into the darkness when the weather cools down at night. This is what people love about fireflies. They make us feel so relaxed, especially when we’re gazing at them from a distance. But trying to sum up their complicated life cycle in just a few sentences would be almost impossible because fireflies’ lives can be surprisingly complex sometimes. No wonder there’s an entire industry based on cookies and crackers shaped like them!
How many species of fireflies are there in Kenya?
Am not so sure how many they are. They are rarely sighted.