Column: Nature Notes

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10-09-2020

Column: Nature Notes - FIREFLIES

Fireflies are actually carnivorous beetles of the family Lampyridae. There are some 2000 species worldwide; about 25 have been described from Australia.
This species usually favours damp areas with undergrowth and leaf litter. The life cycle of the firefly is egg, larvae, pupa and adult. All have luminous qualities, but the adults, particularly the males, emit the strongest light. Larvae use light to deter predators and adults use light to find a mate.
The firefly creates its bioluminescence through a chemical reaction between luciferin (a waste product), luciferase (an enzyme), and a reactant. In fireflies this is adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and oxygen. This chemical reaction produces energy in the form of light. The fireflies are able to regulate the emission of light by controlling the amount of air supplied to their cells; this light pulsing may be used to communicate. Some tropical firefly species gather in large numbers and synchronise their flashes in a spectacular light show.

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