Analysis and Description of The Fireflies

729 Words2 Pages

The firefly is sometimes referred to as a “lightening bug.” There are about 2,000 firefly species; for the most part they live in warm but humid environments. Fireflies are neither flies nor bugs; they are actually part of the beetle family. Fireflies are from the Animalia kingdom, and are of the Lampyridae family. Fireflies hibernate over winter by burrowing underground, under water or settle under the bark of a tree some can live for several years by hibernating as larva during the winter.
Most everyone knows how the fireflies got their name; the firefly produces light through a bioluminescence chemical reaction that allows them to glow however, fireflies in the western Untied States lack the ability to produce light. Fireflies in most cases are brown and have a soft body with two sets of wings. Male’s use the other set of wings that aide them in flying but the females have short wings in most species do not fly.
Fireflies produce what is called a “cold light” with no ultraviolet frequencies. They produce a light that comes from their lower abdomen that can range in colors such as yellow, green or a pale red. The fireflies take in oxygen and combine it calcium, adenosine triphosphate and luciferin to produce light that contains almost no heat. There are several uses for this light but in most cases it is used for the purpose of finding and catching a mate. Male will flash for every five seconds and the female will flash every two second. There are some fireflies that do not produce light those species are day-fliers such as the Ellychnia, which uses pheromones to signal their mates.
Fireflies talk to each other using light signals, male fireflies fly around giving off species-specific patterns to let the females know that he ...

... middle of paper ...

... life was simple and full of fun. In the morning I would set them free so they could return home to their family and live happily ever after. It is funny how a child’s mind works, if I would have know what all that blinking meant back then I wonder if I would of spend all that time catching them.
In closing fireflies “lightening bugs” are for sure one of the most fascinating species of insects. They are one of a kind, no other insect have the ability to light up, there are species that I am sure that haven’t been discovered yet. Fireflies live all around the world and each one have different characteristics to that habitat. They serve many purposes such as the aide in curing medical diseases, however when I think of the firefly “ lightening bug” it takes me back to my childhood where I could get lost in the fantasy of flying around with tinkle bell and other fairies

Open Document