![]() “Different species of fireflies actually have different flash patterns that are used to help in obtaining a suitable mate,” says Wyatt West, a board-certified entomologist for Ehrlich Pest Control. First, it comes in handy during mating season, according to the National Park Service. So, why do fireflies produce this glow?ĭepending on the species, a male or female firefly can create light for a number of purposes. As air is directed to these compounds in the firefly’s light organ, it can actually start and stop the bioluminescence with complete control. Luciferin is heat resistant, while luciferase (a bioluminescent enzyme) spurs the emission of light, Harrison explains. How? Two chemicals found in their bodies, luciferin and luciferase, spur a reaction in the presence of oxygen, adenosine triphosphate (ATP, which is found in all living things), and other compounds. Lightning bugs produce a “cold light” since 100% of the energy these critters produce results in a bioluminescent glow, creating no heat whatsoever, says Ron Harrison, Ph.D., an entomologist and technical director of international franchising with Orkin. More than 2,000 species of fireflies can be found around the world, with about 170 existing in North America, per Firefly Research and Conservation (FRC), a nonprofit organization founded by firefly researcher Ben Pfeiffer.Įven though they’re known for their bioluminescence, not all firefly species have the ability to glow-but those that can utilize their light for various reasons. Whether you enjoy dinner in the backyard or get a bonfire going, you preferably do so in the company of familiar glowing insects: fireflies.Īlso known as lightning bugs, fireflies are part of the Lampyridae family (meaning they are actually winged beetles) and tend to make an appearance in backyards, fields, and forests every year between the end of May and the beginning of June because they thrive in grassy, humid climates. Longer days and warmer nights call for plenty of evenings spent outdoors. If there’s any season that makes you feel all the nostalgia of childhood, it’s summer.
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