Fireflies (Insect)

Fireflies are harder to find in Illinois due to pesticides.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140707/news/140708947/

Lightning bugs, or fireflys, are found on every continent.

no. I say that because vampire's don't exsist.

well there are chemicals in the fireflies abdomen and they react with each other thus creating the glow this process is called the chemiluminiscence hope i helped. ^_^

Fireflies usually come out at night a little after sunset.

Fireflies are the only insect that can produce light thru bioluminescence.

Communicate, eat and make mating arrangements are the activities of lightning bugs [Lampyridae family] during the night. They tend to be nocturnal. So they communicate and organize their mating by way of their glowing abdomens and their flight patterns. Adult fireflies don't have to eat. But those that do prefer the pollen and the insects that are available once the sun goes down.

Because they're nocturnal insects, fireflies [Lampyridae family] tend not to come out during the day. They prefer the pollen and the insects that they find at night. Additionlly, they use their lighted abdomens as part of their mating procedure. The abdomen may be lighted during the day, but not sufficiently visible or attractive to the opposite lightning bug sex.

Lightning bug season is generally between three and four months in duration. This season corresponds to the warm summer months.

Yes they do have backbones.

yes they do

Fireflies will fly close to dawn. As the sun crests in the East, you'll see less of them, until they're gone. Normally, fireflies will sleep in bushes, gardens, hedges, just about anywhere they can catch warmth. July is the best month to see them in clusters. It's said that the firefly will " flash" for the last time just before dawn, and don't come out at night until the sun is ready to set.

Every single animal in the world mates. It is the only way they can produce offspring. The sole exception are some creatures (certain worms, for example) that are hermaphroditic, and are self-fertile.

There are different types of Lightning bugs. Some females will lay hundreds of eggs and others will lay only about 40. How many hatch out as larva depends on how many eggs were deposited and if they survive predators. There are 4 stages to their growth into an adult lightning bug. They start as an egg, then hatch into larva, pupa and then a lightning bug.

No, lightning bugs do not eat grass. Lightning bugs eat snails, worms, pollen, and flower parts, and other insects. The insects must be chopped up for the lightning bugs.

Black is the color of a lightning bug [Lampyridaefamily]. Two red spots are on either side of the head. The upper wings are lined in yellow. The abdomen glows yellow-green, for communicating and organizing mating behaviors at night.

Bats and they are harmless ,they can 'see' you with their echo location chirps so just wonder at them ,they will not bite you or get stuck in your hair.

Bats only come out at night. Most of the birds don't fly at night. So, those are probably bats

The light that a firefly creates is the result of a combination of four different ingredients. This light is produced through a chemical reaction involving Luciferin, which is a substrate, Luciferase, an enzyme, ATP, and oxygen . The light producing section of the body is located in the sixth or seventh abdominal section of the firefly. It is within this cavity that the two compounds Luciferin and Luciferase are stored. A firefly will draw oxygen in through its complex system of air tubes and expose the oxygen to the Luciferin and the Luciferin will then oxidize and activate the Luciferase. This will generate a light that will shine through the skeleton of the abdomen. It is important to note that scientists disagree about the method that the fireflies use to control the duration of their flashes. One theory, known as the "Oxygen Control Theory", explains that fireflies can control the length and duration of their light by regulating the amount of oxygen that they intake . If little or no oxygen reaches the part of the firefly known as the phonic organ, the chemical reaction will not be extremely strong and the light of the firefly will not shine very brightly or for a lengthy duration. Another theory, known as the "Neural Activation Theory" states that fireflies have neural control over the activity of structures called "tracheal end cells" . These structures aid in the initiation of the chemical reaction. Whether or not the fireflies have physical or neural control over their ability to produce light, their method of creating the light that emanates from their bodies is extremely efficient. Very little heat is given off of this light which means that not very much energy is wasted at all. This "cold light" has a 96% efficiency rating; which, when compared to an incandescent light that has only 10% efficiency, is rather impressive.

Yes, and the larva are referred to as glow worms. Not all lightning bugs produce light but all larva do and this light is one of the most efficient in producing energy with very little waste. The light is thought to attract mates but can also be used to attract other lightning bugs and the one will eat the other.

They don't bite, they have no pincers, they don't attack, they don't carry disease, they don't even fly very fast.

Like many other insects, fireflies reach adulthood by metamorphosis. The adults lay eggs on or under the ground in the spring, and the larvae hatch within 2-4 weeks. The larvae feed on snails, slugs, and cutworms by injecting digestive enzymes into the prey and slurping it up once it liquefies. The larvae continue to feed until fall, when they burrow underground for the winter. They emerge the following spring, eat until summer, pupate for roughly two weeks, and then emerge as adults.

Depending on the species, the larvae may overwinter for two or three seasons before metamorphosing into adults. The adult diet varies depending on the species. It may have the predatory habits of the larvae; but some species feed only on pollen and nectar. Some do not eat at all, because they live for only a few days, just long enough to mate and lay eggs.

The firefly is beneficial ecologically. Gardeners value fireflies, because the larvae and adults of some species eat so many snails, slugs, and cutworms. Could they also be indicators of environmental changes? Perhaps research might find a correlation between decreases in their population with habitat loss or the use of pesticides.

http://www.normanbirdsanctuary.org/artma...

Yes. I live just north of Orlando, Florida and there's a lightning bug flashing on my back door right now. However, I've never seen more than one or two at a time in the past ten years I've lived here. When I lived in Ohio, as a child, there used to be thousands in the yard at night. I don't know if there naturally aren't as many lighting bugs in Florida, or if they're disappearing everywhere.

Now i am no expert, but i would suggest getting a rather large jar, say about 8 inches high and 3-5 inches wide and poking a bout 5 SMALL holes. Make sure the holes are smaller than the flies you catch. Now as to what they eat. I am unsure but what i do know is that some adult fireflies will eat other insects but many eat pollen and other parts of plants. Stella

Fireflies live in various habitats. Many species thrive in forests, fields or the margins between them. Some live in more arid areas, but they typically follow the rainy season. Fireflies are found all over the world, from North and South America to Europe and Asia.

http://www.firefly.org/firefly-habitat.html