Bioluminescence is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena. Usually, animals capable of emitting light are found in the depths of the sea, and among the inhabitants of the land, only fireflies, or, as they are affectionately called, fireflies, can boast of such abilities. These insects belong to the Coleoptera order, that is, they are beetles. Their originality is so great that fireflies are distinguished into a special family, in which there are 2000 species.

A forest in Japan inhabited by thousands of fireflies.

Outwardly, they all look modest: because of the narrow, elongated body with a rounded head and short antennae, many fireflies resemble small cockroaches. In length, these insects do not exceed 1-2.5 cm. In those species in which the difference between the sexes is small, both males and females look like this. But in those species in which sexual dimorphism is strongly pronounced, only male representatives have such an appearance. But the females of these fireflies are incredibly similar to their own larvae. Anatomical features predetermine the ability to fly: only "cockroach-like" winged fireflies have it, and worm-like females lead a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle. These insects are painted in brown, gray, black tones, but of course, this is not remembered in the appearance of fireflies.

Fiery photinus, or common eastern firefly (Photinus pyralis).

The main ones in every sense of the word are their luminous organs. In most fireflies, they are located in the back of the abdomen, resembling a large flashlight. In some species, the luminous organs are placed in pairs on each segment of the body, forming chains on the sides. These organs are arranged according to the principle of a lighthouse. They have a kind of "lamp" - a group of photocyte cells, braided with tracheae and nerves. Each such cell is filled with "fuel", which is the substance luciferin. When the firefly breathes, air through the trachea enters the luminous organ, where, under the influence of oxygen, luciferin is oxidized. During a chemical reaction, energy is released in the form of light. A real lighthouse always emits light in the right direction - towards the sea. Fireflies in this regard, too, are not far behind. Their photocytes are surrounded by cells filled with uric acid crystals. They perform the function of a reflector (mirror-reflector) and allow you not to waste valuable energy in vain. However, these insects might not care about economy, because any technician can envy the performance of their luminous organs. The efficiency of fireflies reaches a fantastic 98%! This means that only 2% of energy is wasted, and in the creations of human hands (cars, electrical appliances) from 60 to 96% of energy is wasted.

Each type of light has its own shade: bright green, yellow, less often bluish or reddish.

Victory over darkness is not the only virtue of fireflies. These insects also masterfully control their luminous organs. Only a few species can give a uniform unfading light, for the most part, fireflies are able to arbitrarily change the intensity of the glow, either kindling or extinguishing their “flashlights”, it is not for nothing that their luminous organs are entwined with nerves. The frequency of blinking allows fireflies to accurately distinguish representatives of their own species from strangers. Perfection in this skill was achieved by fireflies living in Malaysia. These insects have learned to light and extinguish their "flashlights" synchronously. When hundreds of lights flicker and go out in the darkness of the jungle, it seems as if a festive garland is working. The locals called this phenomenon "kelip-kelip".

It should be noted that the ability to glow is not observed in all fireflies. It is necessarily inherent in nocturnal species, but there are also daytime fireflies in the world. As a rule, they do not glow at all, and if they do, only those species that live under the dense canopy of the forest or in caves glow.

Fireflies are especially widespread in the northern hemisphere. Here they can be found in the vastness of North America and Eurasia - from Western Europe to Japan. They inhabit deciduous forests, meadows and swamps. Although they cannot be called collective insects, fireflies often form large clusters. During the day, these beetles sit passively on blades of grass, and with the advent of twilight, they begin to fly actively. Their flight is moderately fast and smooth.

A long exposure photo taken in the forests of North Carolina (USA) shows the flight path of fireflies.

By the nature of their diet, fireflies can be divided into three groups: 1) herbivorous species that eat pollen and nectar; 2) predators feeding on invertebrates; 3) species that at the adult stage (adult) do not feed at all and do not even have a mouth. Predatory species are able to kill such large prey as a snail or centipede.

A worm-like female Phengodes firefly (Phengodes sp.) attacked a North American centipede (Narceus americanus), many times its size.

But the most difficult method of hunting was chosen by fireflies foturis, which feed exclusively on their fellows - non-predatory fireflies fotinus. They lure victims to perfection by imitating their inviting light signals.

The female photuris eats a firefly.

In general, the function of attracting individuals of the opposite sex for luminous organs is the main one. In ordinary fireflies, mating season is observed at the beginning of summer, it is not for nothing that they were called “Ivan worms” in the old days, implying that they appear on the day of Ivan Kupala. After mating, the female lays eggs in the soil, from which voracious worm-like larvae emerge. Unlike adults, the larvae of all firefly species are able to glow and all, without exception, are predators. They hide under stones, in cracks in the bark and soil. They develop slowly: in species of the middle zone, the larvae hibernate, and in some subtropical species they grow for several years. The pupal stage lasts from 1 to 2.5 weeks.

Firefly larva.

It would seem that the glow should strongly unmask these insects, giving out their location in the dark, but in fact they have few enemies. This is explained simply: fireflies secrete unpleasant or toxic substances from the lucibufagin group. These compounds are similar in their properties to poisonous toad toxins, which is why birds and insectivorous animals avoid catching these beetles.

Although fireflies have no practical significance, people have always treated them positively. Probably, it was their glow that served as a prototype for fairy tales about magical fairies flying at night with lights.

Fairytale illumination of common fireflies (Lampyris noctiluca).

Firefly beetles are living lanterns, they fill the forest with fabulous light. These natural lanterns light up and then go out. The bugs shoot up sharply, and then rapidly fall down like fireworks.

If a lot of fireflies fly in the summer, then the weather will be good - this is not only a sign, because the bugs are active on warm, quiet evenings. At such a time of day, nature calls them to continue the race.

Illumination abilities of firefly beetles

Not only firefly beetles glow, their eggs also emit a faint light, but it soon goes out. The organs of luminescence in fireflies are located at the tip of the abdomen. The cuticle of the abdomen is transparent, and under it are photogenic cells surrounded by air tubes, through which oxygen enters the cells. It is oxygen that is needed for light.

With the help of light, firefly beetles signal and communicate with each other. Each type has individual shades and a set of signals.

For example, male Photius pyralis send out short bursts of light, while females respond with longer flashes. The male flies several meters towards the chosen one and again gives a signal, the female answers him, thereby suggesting the direction.

When studying luminous insects, scientists are faced with the amazing behavior of these beetles. For example, tropical species sit down literally on every leaf of a tree, and begin, as if on command, to flare up. Scientists observed this behavior of fireflies in Bangkok. Some large trees were covered almost entirely with fireflies. The trees "lit up" every 1.5 seconds. What this light-representation meant, scientists could not understand.

For South America, luminous insects are the norm. Very bright fireflies live there. For example, in Puerto Rico there are bugs so bright that just a couple is enough to light up a small room. Such fireflies fly over the fields and fill them with yellow-red or yellow-green light.

In Uruguay and Brazil, there are even more amazing firefly beetles with a bright red light on the head and bright green lights on the body.

The benefits of firefly beetles

Cases have been recorded when these natural lamps saved people's lives.

For example, during the Spanish-American War, doctors operated on victims by the light of fireflies.

The firefly insect is a large family of beetles with an amazing ability to emit light.

Despite the fact that insect fireflies do not bring practically any benefit to humans, the attitude towards these unusual insects has always been positive.

Watching the simultaneous flickering of many lights in the night forest, you can be transported for a while into the fairy tale of fireflies.

The firefly beetle lives in North America, Europe and Asia. It can be found in tropical and deciduous forests, meadows, glades and swamps.

Outwardly, the firefly insect looks very modest, even nondescript. The body is elongated and narrow, the head is very small, the antennae are short. The size of the insect firefly is small - on average from 1 to 2 centimeters. The body color is brown, dark gray or black.

In many species of beetles, differences between male and female are pronounced. Male firefly insects resemble cockroaches in appearance, can fly, but do not glow.

The female looks very similar to a larva or a worm, she does not have wings, so she leads a sedentary lifestyle. But the female knows how to glow, which attracts representatives of the opposite sex.

The luminous swell organ of the insect firefly is located in the back of the abdomen. It is an accumulation of light cells - photocytes, through which multiple tracheae and nerves pass.

Each such cell contains the substance luciferin. During breathing, oxygen enters the luminous organ through the trachea, under the influence of which luciferin is oxidized, releasing energy in the form of light.

Due to the fact that nerve endings pass through the light cells, the firefly insect can independently regulate the intensity and mode of the glow. It can be a continuous glow, blinking, pulsing or flashes. Thus, bugs glowing in the dark resemble a New Year's garland.

Fireflies are not collective insects, however, they often form large clusters. During the day, fireflies insects rest, sitting on the ground or on plant stalks, and at night they begin an active life.

Different types of fireflies differ in the nature of their diet. Harmless herbivorous insect fireflies feed on pollen and nectar.

Predatory individuals attack spiders, centipedes and snails. There are even species that at the adult stage do not feed at all, moreover, they do not have a mouth..

The female beetle lays its eggs on a bed of leaves. After some time, black-and-yellow larvae emerge from the eggs. They have an excellent appetite, in addition, the firefly insect glows when disturbed.

Beetle larvae overwinter in the bark of trees. In the spring they emerge from the shelter, feed intensively, then pupate. After 2 - 3 weeks, adult fireflies emerge from the cocoon.

• The brightest firefly beetle lives in the American tropics.
• In length, it reaches 4 - 5 centimeters, and not only the abdomen, but also the chest glows in it.
• In terms of the brightness of the emitted light, this bug is 150 times superior to its European relative, the common firefly.
• Fireflies were used by the inhabitants of tropical villages as lamps. They were placed in small cages and with the help of such primitive lanterns they illuminated their dwellings.

• Every year at the beginning of summer, the Firefly Festival is held in Japan. With the onset of dusk, spectators gather in the garden near the temple and watch the fabulously beautiful flight of many luminous bugs.
• The most common species in Europe is the common firefly, which is popularly called the Ivan worm. It received such a name because of the belief that the firefly insect begins to glow on the night of Ivan Kupala.

Anyone who has ever seen myriads of tiny lights dancing in a field or forest at night will not forget about this bewitching spectacle. Would you like to take a closer look at the mysterious lanterns that decorate the summer night? This firefly is an insect that belongs to the family of beetles, order Coleoptera, called Lampyridae in Latin.

Why do they glow?

Fireflies have their amazing ability to glow because they have special organs at the bottom of their abdomen, consisting of photogenic cells and reflectors below them, which are filled with uric acid crystals. Oxidative processes take place here, causing luminescence. The light can be of different strength and duration, but always greenish or insects use it both to protect themselves from predators, warning about their inedibility by glowing, and to attract members of the opposite sex.

Firefly - insect of the night

Several species of fireflies live in our latitudes. One of them - Ivanovo worms - nocturnal insects that spend the day in thick grass and fallen leaves, and with the onset of night they go hunting. These fireflies live in the forest, where they hunt spiders, snails and small insects. The female of the Ivanovo worm cannot fly and is completely brown-brown, only on the underside are three segments of the abdomen white. They are the ones that glow brightly. A firefly is an insect with which you can even read by moving a living flashlight along the lines. And the fireflies living in the Caucasus glow in flight. These reddish sparks, dancing in the thick darkness of the southern night, give it a special mystery and charm.

mating season

At the moment when it is time for mating, the male firefly, whose photo you saw in the article, goes in search of a sign from a female who wants to continue the race. And as soon as he finds one, he goes down to her. The fact is that different types of fireflies emit light at different frequencies, and this is a guarantee that representatives of the same species will mate with each other. A firefly is an insect in which it is the female who chooses a partner. She defines it by the nature of the glow. The higher the frequency of its flicker, the brighter the light emanating from it, the more likely the male is to bewitch his partner. Male fireflies perform collective "serenades" to their ladies, simultaneously lighting and extinguishing their lanterns. Trees entwined with such "light music" shine brighter than storefronts in big cities. But there are cases of deadly marriage games. The female uses an inviting light sign in order to attract males of another species. When seduced fertilizers appear, she simply eats them.

procreation

From the eggs that the female laid after fertilization, large voracious black larvae with yellow spots appear. By the way, they also glow, like adults. By autumn, they hide in the bark of trees, where they remain for the whole winter. And the next spring, waking up, they feed for several weeks, then pupate, and after 1-2.5 weeks, new adult fireflies develop from them, capable of surprising us with their mysterious night glow.

In the summer, after sunset, you can see an amazing sight: small lights, similar to stars, glow in the night. And this glows an unusual insect - a firefly. Let's talk in detail about these firefly beetles, which can sparkle and look like stars.

Description of the beetle's lifestyle

Bugs glow with different lights red to green, the brightness of the light is also different for everyone. This is a beetle, of which there are many species. Only on the territory of the Russian Federation there are about twenty of them. Beetles live in both tropical and subtropical climates.

The firefly is a ground beetle that active mostly at night. At least, seeing it during the day, it is impossible to imagine that this very ordinary beetle can look so unusual in the dark. The insect is from 0.5 to 2 centimeters in length, they have a small head and large eyes. The body is flat on top. There are wings and 11 whiskers that are located on the forehead of the beetle.

A feature of the insect is their ability to glow. This effect is inherent in beetles due to the structure of their body. On the abdomen of the beetle there are crystals of uric acid, above which are photogenic cells with nerves and tracheae that conduct oxygen. As a result of oxidation, the firefly flickers and emits light.. In general, the glow of a firefly defends itself from enemies, showing them that it is not edible. Also, by glowing, the insect attracts individuals of the opposite sex.

Character beetle - firefly

In our area, Ivanovy worm is most often found. This is a kind of firefly that lives in the forest and can be seen on a warm summer night.

During the day, insects tend to hide in grassy thickets. The female has a brown color and three stripes on the abdomen. They are not capable of flying and in appearance resemble larvae up to 18 centimeters in length. These beetles create an amazing spectacle its night glow, as if the stars were falling from the sky.

This incomparable light show is mesmerizing. Some fireflies glow brighter than others, and due to this contrast, looking at them is even more interesting. They fly through the grass and trees and, flying up quickly, resemble a salute.

In males, the body is shaped like a cigar, it is about 1.5 centimeters long. They have a huge head and eyes. Unlike their girlfriends, they are excellent flyers.

Known facts of the use of fireflies in human life. Ancient chronicles say that the settlers who moved to Brazil, used fireflies as lighting in their homes. The Indians on the hunt fixed the beetles to their feet and they illuminated the road in this way, and also scared away the snakes. This feature of the bugs is quite comparable to a fluorescent lamp, but unlike a lamp, a firefly does not heat up when it glows.

firefly food

Beetles live in grass or foliage, at night they hunt and get their own food.

The basis of the diet is made up of such small insects as:

• ants,
• spiders,
• larvae.
• The beetle also eats plants that rot.

An interesting fact is that adult fireflies do not eat, but exist only to create offspring. After laying eggs, they simply die. During the mating season of fireflies, there are cases of eating their own kind. The female eats the male immediately after mating. The female firefly Phothuris lures the male to her as if for mating, and as soon as he approaches, she immediately eats him. It even has a scientific name - aggressive mimicry.

Firefly for man is a beneficial insect, which eats pests in gardens and orchards. Therefore, seeing this beautiful beetle in his garden, the gardener is usually very happy.

The most interesting species of fireflies live in Japan, they inhabit the rice fields and eat pests, thereby bringing invaluable benefits to farmers and helping to save the crop.

Reproduction, offspring and lifespan of the firefly beetle

As mentioned earlier, with their light, fireflies attract halves of the opposite sex to themselves and mate with them. When the mating season begins for the male beetle, he goes out to look for a mate, and it is at this time that she notices her chosen one by the shade of light. The brighter the light, the more popular the male and the females pay the most attention to it.

Some types of fireflies during the mating season are satisfied with the most real light shows, in which entire groups of beetles participate. It looks more beautiful than the night lights of a big city.

When the female gives the male a certain signal that she has chosen him, he descends to her and they communicate for several more minutes, glowing with lights, after which the fertilization process itself takes place. After copulation, the female lays eggs, which hatch into beetle larvae. They are mostly black or yellow. There are terrestrial and aquatic larvae.

They are incredible gluttons, maggots in huge numbers eat small invertebrates, as well as shellfish. They can glow in the same way as adult beetles. Having eaten in the summer, they hide in trees for the winter and hibernate there.

In early spring, the larvae wake up and again eat in huge quantities. This happens for about a month or longer, after which it comes larval pupation process, which lasts from 7 to 18 days.

As a result, an adult beetle appears, which, like the rest, will glow on a dark summer night with its bewitching light. Adults do not live long, about three to four months.