Fireflies Light up the Summer Sky

Most species of fireflies live in warm, humid areas of the world, where they can be seen throughout the year.

In climates with changing seasons, fireflies can be seen in the summertime. In the United States, they are mostly found east of the Rocky Mountains around ponds, marshes, wooded areas, and other areas that retain moisture.

Some species of fireflies are found in very arid regions of the world where the  larvae and adults emerge after it rains.

Most adults feed on nectar or pollen, but some adults don't eat at all. 

Females deposit their eggs in the ground and the larvae hatch in about 4 weeks. The larvae (often called glow worms) stay in wooded areas and around water sources until they become adults. Sometimes the adolescent firefly make small flashes while on the ground.

Larvae in the southeastern United States live about a year; from one mating season to the next. During the cold winter months, they live underground until spring. They eat insect pests like snails, slugs, and cutworms. Larvae inject an anesthetic substance into their prey to immobilize it before eating.

Photo by Dendroica cerulea on flickr.

Fireflies flash according to the intensity of surrounding light. On dark nights, they flash often and late into the night. They won't flash much when there is a bright full moon or if there's too much artificial light.

TO ATTRACT FIREFLIES:

~~ Reduce the amount of lighting on your property because external lights interfere with the firefly's mating ritual.

 ~~ Change your outdoor lighting to lights that operate as a motion detector so they don't produce continuous light.

~~ Install lights that are low to the ground and that point straight down instead of shining in all directions.

 ~~ Don't use bug zappers because they can also kill beneficial insects. Instead, install bat or purple martin houses, or bring frogs into your garden to eliminate mosquitoes and other insect pests.

 ~~ Don't use chemical fertilizers, or broad spectrum pesticides. which can poison fireflies and other beneficial insects. Use compost, compost tea, and fish and seaweed mixes instead. If you decide you must use pesticides, use an organic one or insecticidal soap.  Look for lighting bugs before you spray.

~~ Adult fireflies rest during the day in tall grass, vegetation, or low tree branches so they can stay cool. If your yard gets dry, you could add a bird bath or fountain to the area where they're likely to be living.

~~ Firefly larvae eat earthworms, snails and other soft bodied animals, which live in rich, organic soil. If you have a manicured lawn, create a small area for a firefly habitat.

Photo by anneh632 on flickr.

Bioluminescence is the ability of a living organism to emit light. The sun, incandescent light bulb, or a fire only releases a small amount of energy as light. Most of the energy is released as heat.

In bioluminescence, all of the energy escapes as light and none as heat. Since no heat is lost, bioluminescence is referred to as "cold light."

 The chemicals involved in bioluminescence are luciferin and luciferase. Different creatures create varying amounts of these chemicals, which make different colors of light. Marine life usually make a blue color since blue penetrates farthest through water.

Light can help marine life find food, protect them from predators, or attract a mate. The blue color can hide the silhouette of a creature against the light blue background of the sea.

The firefly is the most common creature on land that produces bioluminescence, but so can some types of worms, fungus, and mushrooms.

 Photo by slappytheseal on flickr.