Sure, those little magical flashes in the night may dazzle us, but all that showing off is meant for another admirer all together.
Something Wild
July 8, 2005
2005 ? Firefly Flirting
372 words
On warm summer nights, there?s a whole lot of flirting going on --- and I?m not talking about the teenagers at Hampton Beach. I?m talking about bug love!
Hi, this is Iain MacLeod from New Hampshire Audubon, bringing you Something Wild.
Take an evening walk into a dark meadow and watch for the flashes of fireflies in the grass and in the air. Fireflies, which are actually beetles, are flirting with one another. They have light organs in their abdomens, called lanterns, which contain chemicals that light up on command. Although other insects can produce light, fireflies are the only insects that can flash their light on and off in distinct signals. And on summer nights, they are signaling for sex.
Hopeful male fireflies cruise through the air flashing to hidden females. The females perch on leaves and grass below, watching the show. If they like what they see, they will flash back. It seems that they are especially impressed by faster, brighter or longer flashes. The more a female likes a male, the brighter her response flashes will be. Once the male spies a responsive female they will signal back and forth as the male gets closer. When the two finally find one another, they mate.
All species of nocturnal fireflies use unique flashing patterns while courting. Some species can be recognized by the duration of their signal while others are recognized by the pause between each flash. Still other species are distinguished by the number of flashes, the pattern of the flashes or even the color of the firefly?s light.
In general, males will not fly down to meet a female that sends the wrong species signal. But, sometimes, males can be misled. Some female fireflies have evolved the ability to mimic the response flashes of other species. If an unsuspecting ardent male flies down to woo a mimicking female, he may be captured and eaten. Now that?s a fatal attraction!
For Something Wild, I?m Iain MacLeod.
Something Wild is a joint production of New Hampshire Audubon, New Hampshire Public Radio, and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
If you have a natural history question that you would like answered on Something Wild, email us at somethingwild@nhpr.org.
