BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Fireflies

April 29, 2020 • by Alexander Wild
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Photo: Alex Wild


larva

Larva: Photo: Alex Wild

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Photo: Alex Wild

The flash is produced by a light organ at the tip of the abdomen. Chemically, the flash is an energy-intensive process where an organic molecule, luciferin, releases light in the presence of oxygen, the energy-transporting molecule ATP, and an enzyme, luciferase. The process has been widely used in biological research, as the light-producing molecules can be inserted into other genetic sequences as a tag to help scientists see if their experiments have worked.

If you have a yard and would like to encourage fireflies, we recommend the following:

Leave a portion of your yard- perhaps along a back fence or part of a perennial garden- in untilled leaf litter. Larvae need habitat too!

Provide low flowers or ground vegetation to around knee- to waist-height. Female fireflies require good perches.

Refrain from chemical pesticides. Fireflies, like most insects, are susceptible to even the “natural” chemicals marketed for mosquito control.

Keep your outdoor lighting dim enough so the fireflies can easily see each other.

fireflies

Photo: Alex Wild

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