16 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2016
Fireflies
By Paula Hoppe
The show is about to begin. Wait for
it – the first twinkle far in the distance
drifting across the landscape. At first
there are only a few glimmering points
floating in the cooling air, but as the
darkness grows around us the lights
brighten, and we are witness to a
beautiful mating dance. The dance of
the fireflies.
What we may not realize is that the
characters on this moonlit stage have
been waiting to perform for almost
a year. They begin as eggs, usually
deposited in moist soil or leaf litter.
The larvae, which have light organs on
their abdomen similar to those of the
adults, will hatch in three to four weeks
and begin to feast and grow. They hunt
at night, eating slugs, snails, worms and
other insects until winter, when they
hibernate in the larval stage. In late
spring, emerging larvae feed briefly
before pupating and transforming into
adult fireflies.
•
Fireflies, or lightning bugs, are
actually beetles.
•
A chemical
reaction from the
light organ on the
fireflies' abdomen
produces a very
efficient "cold
light" using a
substance called
luciferin. Besides
causing them
to glow, it also
protects them from
predators by virtue
of its foul taste.
•
Different
firefly species
produce different
colored light –
yellow, green, or
even pale red – and also have unique
flash patterns. The firefly seen most
often in Nebraska is the common
eastern firefly; its light is a yellow/
green color. It flashes brightly, then
flies up and forward as the light fades.
•
About 45 minutes after sunset,
males begin looking for mates by
flying over vegetation and flashing
in flight. Females, lying in wait on
vegetation below, signal when they
recognize a male of their own species.
So when the sun sets on our summer
days, look to the fields and watch the
dance begin. The light fades as the sun
sends its rays of farewell arcing into
the sky. The curtain of darkness rises,
and the meadows and backyards of
the plains set the stage. This is their
moment. This is their dance. ■
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