Fireflies/Lighting bugs

I RECENTLY encountered a “burning bush” that had tonnes of fireflies in Kariba and it made me remember my days as a child, watching characters in cartoons trap the fireflies into a bottle and use it as a “lamp”. I stood there for several minutes staring at the spectacular sight and I could not help but be inspired to write this article and share a few facts about these unique creatures.
There are about 2 000 firefly species in the world. These insects live in a variety of warm environments, as well as in more temperate regions. Fireflies, also called lightning bugs, are actually beetles.
They’re in the insect family Lampyridae, meaning “shining ones” in Greek and like little lamps; they usually come out only at night. Fireflies have a brief “shining light” moment and that light is the firefly’s last “good job”. This is because they live for three years, and for the first two years there are in the form of a larvae better known as glow worms then in their last summer, they emerge as full-fledged adult fireflies that live only for about two weeks depending on the species.
Everyone knows how fireflies got their name, but many people don’t know how the insects produce their signature glow. Fireflies have specialised cells that are located under their abdomens. The insects take in oxygen inside these special cells and combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat. This type of light production is called bioluminescence.
Why do fireflies glow?
One reason that fireflies glow is to attract a mate. Males and females of the same species will flash signals back and forth as a way of communicating. Each firefly species has its own particular pattern. For example, the fireflies of one species will fly around in the night sky and dive steeply just as the flash begins and turn upward to make a distinctive J-shaped pattern of light. Female fireflies hang out on a tree branch or in the grass while the males fly around showing off their best flashes. When a female recognises the flash from a male of the same species, she will answer with her best flash.
Another reason that fireflies glow is to avoid predators. Fireflies are filled with a nasty tasting chemical called lucibufagens, and after a predator gets a mouthful, it quickly learns to associate the firefly’s glow with this bad taste! So not only does the flashing help attract a mate, but it also warns predators to stay away. A firefly that can’t make this chemical acquires it by eating other species that can make it. They do this by mimicking the flash pattern of another species and luring them in close. The unsuspecting male firefly thinks he is going to find a mate, but instead becomes a tasty treat to the crafty firefly.