Dance of the Fireflies
Lightning bugs or Fireflies are not true bugs or flies. They are actually beetles.
• Why does the abdomen of the firefly light? It's their way of attracting a mate. Each male has a different code; it's almost like a song — in light — that he uses to attract a female. The larvae sometimes glow, and are commonly known as "glowworms". Firefly eggs are also reported to glow.
• The firefly light is called a "cold light" because it produces no heat. It's a lot like the glow-in-the-dark light sticks that kids use. The light stick has two separate compartments with a different chemical in each one. When you crack the stick, the two chemicals mix, and the stick begins to glow! It's the same with the firefly.
• Fireflies do not bite, do not have pincers, do not carry disease and in fact are quite harmless. They cannot even fly fast. They have a life span of two months.
• It is believed that some adult fireflies do not eat. Other kinds feed on pollen and nectar.
• Many firefly species are active only during a certain period of the evening. These insects determine when they will flash by the intensity of light. This is why you don't see many fireflies flashing on clear nights when the moon is full. During the summer, fireflies fly around between dusk and midnight.
Fireflies are familiar, but these insects are actually beetles--not flies or bugs. They are nocturnal and prefer the hours of dusk to about midnight for their most active part of the day. Nocturnal means they do not sleep at night. Most fireflies are winged, which is a good way to tell the difference between them and their cousins--glowworms.
There are about 2,000 firefly species. They live in a variety of warm environments, as well as in more temperate regions, and are a familiar sight on summer evenings. Fireflies love moisture and often live in humid areas.
Everyone knows how fireflies got their name, but many people don't know how the insects produce their familiar glow. Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. The insects take in oxygen and, inside special cells, combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with no heat. The process is similar to the glow sticks that children use on Halloween while trick-or-treating.
Firefly light flashes in patterns that are unique to each species. Each blinking pattern is an optical signal that helps fireflies find potential mates. Scientists are not sure how the insects regulate this process to turn their lights on and off. The flashes are similar to a dance that females of the species find irresistible.
Firefly light also serves as a defense mechanism that flashes a clear warning of the insect's unappetizing taste. The fact that even larvae are luminescent supports this theory. Insects use this kind of defensive system to keep from becoming someone else's meal.
Females deposit their eggs in the ground, which is where larvae develop to adulthood. Underground larvae feed on worms and slugs. Like many larva and spiders, the firefly larva inject a numbing fluid to help liquefy their victims when preparing dinner.
Adults feed on nectar or pollen.
These insects are harmless and are known by children throughout the world. The only thing that does happen after handling them is that your hands will smell bad. Soap and water cure this quickly.
Firefly Flashlight
You need:
3" Flashlight
Low Temp Glue Gun or Ultimate Craft Glue
Two Wiggle Eyes -- 10mm
"AA" Battery
One Yard Cord
Glow-in-the-Dark
Pony Beads
Permanent Marker
Yellow Craft Foam
Scissors
Instructions:
Remove key ring from flashlight and string cord in its place. String glow-in-the-dark pony beads to each side. Double knot ends. Glue on wiggle eyes. Cut wings from yellow foam and glue to back of flashlight. Draw on a mouth.
Soda Bottle Firefly
1 Empty plastic soda bottle
2-3 sheets of foam craft paper or felt in different colors
Google eyes
4 pipe cleaners
1 glow stick
Cut the shapes of wings out of the foam paper, cut a 4x8 piece of foam paper or felt. Wrap the 4x8 paper around the top part of the bottle and secure tightly around the neck of the bottle with hot glue gun. Attach wings and glue eyes to top of lid. Cut pipe cleaners into sections and secure as antennae and feet. Place glow stick inside the bottle for your child's very own firefly!
Firefly Jar
Materials You Will Need
Quart Size Wide Mouth Canning Jar with Two Part Lid (Ring and Seal)
Nylon Stocking
Ribbon
Glue
Craft Wire Or Pipe Cleaners
Glitter Glue
Stickers
How To Make It
Step 1:
Take the ring from the jar lid, you will not need the seal. Slide the nylon over the ring, do not pull it taught. With the glue adhere the ribbon to the rim of the lid.
Step 2:
Using the glitter glue and stickers decorate the jar.
Step 3:
Wrap the craft wire or pipe cleaner around the jar, below the ridge, looping it over to make a handle.
Step 4:
Screw lid onto the jar. If the nylon is to tight it will run when you do this.
Firefly Tag
This is a nighttime game of tag.
WHAT YOU NEED:
3 or more players
A flashlight
HOW TO PLAY:
1. Once it's dark, give a chosen player (the firefly) a flashlight and have her head away from the group with the light off, silently counting to 60 as she goes.
2. When the firefly reaches 60, she must flash the light once.
3. The rest of the players then count to 100 before setting out in pursuit of the firefly, who tries to avoid capture by hiding and changing directions.
4. But here's the catch: she must continuously count to 60, flashing the light each time she reaches the end of her count.
5. The first person to tag the firefly takes her place for the next round.
