Fireflies - A Summer's Delight!

By Guest Blogger- Cassandra Lobo


Did you know that fireflies are actually a beetle? I’ve always been amazed by those remarkable insects and until recently did not know much about them. I forgot how amazing fireflies were until the other night when I let my dogs outside to play in the yard. My dog, Hope, was carefully inspecting around her and would erratically jump into the air. I smirked at her curiousness, but had no idea what she was doing. After watching for a few seconds (and after thinking she was just plain crazy!) I saw what was keeping her occupied. She had found a firefly, but was confused when its light had gone out and could no longer find it! Intrigued by these creatures I quickly jumped onto the computer to learn more about them.


The life of a firefly is relatively romantic. The male firefly flickers its best flash through the dark summer sky in hopes to find a soul mate. Female fireflies stay closer to the ground and will flash in response if interested. This courtship usually occurs from May through August. There are various different species of these twinkling insects, and like a potato chip, each specie produces the different patterns of flashes. Female fireflies are able to mimic up to 11 different species flash patterns in order to lure males in. Fireflies are able to produce light because they have a light- emitting organ in their lower abdomen. The light is produced by a chemical reaction involving a special protein, a pigment called luciferin, and oxygen. The protein, called luciferase, acts as an enzyme, starting the chemical reaction that generates light.


The hopeless romantic male firefly thinks he is going to find a mate, but instead becomes a scrumptious treat to the tricky female firefly. Talk about an awful date!! When the male is eaten, the female acquires an unpleasant taste to their predators. The male firefly constantly puts his life on the line, but when a female of the right species is finally spotted, they produce eggs and the cycle occurs once again!

Fireflies are one of my favorite (or should I say least feared?) insects and hope you all take the time to admire these fascinating creatures. Watching fireflies is an enchanting experience and has always been a favorite past time of mine! Get your children (and yourselves!) outdoors and catch fireflies for a great summer evening activity!