Why do lightning bugs

Common Name:. Lightning bug. Other Common Name s :. Type of Beneficial:. Insect predator. Type of Metamorphosis:. Immature stages appear different from the adult stage i. Beneficial Stage s :. Immature stages are predators. Adults of some species are also predatory. Larvae of most species are specialized predators and feed on other insect larvae, snails and slugs. They are also reported to feed on earthworms.

Adults of some species apparently do not feed. Due to urban sprawl over the last few decades, large swarms of lightning bugs are a less frequent occurrence across the Galveston-Houston region; however, small swarms still occur, primarily away from city lights and in more open areas of vegetation. Mounted Specimen? Not yet! Typically, the male will fly around sending light signals to a group of females seeking out the right partner, and each species has its own unique flash patterns.

Once the female finds a male up to her standards—say, depending on how often he lights up and the intensity of the flash—she emits her own light and the rest is history, Harrison says. And if they have a baby? Even the larvae and eggs emit light in certain species. One of the most fascinating ways to watch this process in action stems from Photinus carolinus fireflies, which synchronize their flashing patterns. Calling the Great Smoky Mountains National Park home near North Carolina and Tennessee, hundreds and even thousands of these synchronous fireflies emit between five to eight flashes of light all at once before allowing eight to 10 seconds of darkness.

This light pattern can continue for hours, usually ending around midnight. If everything goes right, they mate. A good example is Photinus pyralis , a common backyard species often called the Big Dipper. A male flies at dusk about 3 feet off the ground. If she sees a fellow she likes, she waits two seconds before making a half second flash of her own at the third second. Firefly light communication can get much more complicated; some species have multiple signaling systems, and some might use their light organs for other purposes.

While most male fireflies do their own thing and flash independently of other males of the same species, there are those that synchronize their flashes when there are many others around. In both these species, scientists think the males synchronize so everyone has a chance to look for females, and for females to signal males. These displays are spectacular, and the crush of folks wanting to see them at the most famous locations has made it necessary to conduct a lottery for permission to view them.

Both species, however, occur over wide geographic ranges, and it might be possible to see them in other, less congested places. Many fireflies protect themselves from predators with chemicals called lucibufagins.

These are molecules the insects synthesize from other chemicals they eat in their diet. Lucibufagins are chemically very similar to the toxins toads exude on their skins, and while they are toxic in the right doses, they are also extremely distasteful. Birds and other predators quickly learn to avoid fireflies.

Some species of fireflies feed on other fireflies—most notable is the genus photuris , which mimics female flashes of photinus , a closely related species, in order to attract and devour the males of that species.

But adult fireflies have almost never been seen feeding on other species of bugs. They may feed on plant pollen and nectar, or they may eat nothing. An adult firefly lives only long enough to mate and lay eggs—so they may not need to eat during their adult life stage. The larvae usually live for approximately one to two years, from mating season to mating season, before becoming adults and giving birth to the next generation.

Sometimes male photuris imitate male photinus to attract females of their own species. She shows up looking for food, but instead he gets a mate. Even more interesting, scientists believe some photinus males imitate photuris females giving off bad impressions of photinus male flashes, scaring off other photinus males and reducing competition.

Fireflies love warm, humid areas.