Living glow
“...at first there were only two or three green dots blinking, smoothly gliding among the trees.
But gradually there were more of them, and now the entire grove was illuminated by a fantastic green glow.
We have never seen such a huge concentration of fireflies.
They rushed in a cloud among the trees, crawled through the grass, bushes and trunks...
Then sparkling streams of fireflies floated over the bay..."
J.Darrell. "My Family and Other Animals"
Probably everyone has heard about fireflies. Many have seen them. But what do we know about the biology of these amazing insects?
Fireflies, or fireflies, are representatives of a separate family Lampyridae in the order of beetles. In total there are about 2000 species, and they are distributed almost all over the world. The sizes of different types of fireflies range from 4 to 20 mm. The males of these beetles have a cigar-shaped body and a fairly large head with large hemispherical eyes and short antennae, as well as very reliable and strong wings. But female fireflies are usually wingless, soft-bodied and resemble larvae in appearance. True, in Australia there are species in which wings are developed in both males and females.
All types of fireflies have the amazing ability to emit a soft phosphorescent light in the dark. Their luminous organ is photophore– most often located at the end of the abdomen and consists of three layers. The lower layer acts as a reflector - the cytoplasm of its cells is filled with microscopic crystals of uric acid that reflect light. The top layer is represented by a transparent cuticle that transmits light - in short, everything is like in a regular lantern. Actually photogenic, light-producing cells are located in the middle layer of the photophore. They are densely intertwined with tracheae, through which air with the oxygen necessary for the reaction enters, and contain a huge number of mitochondria. Mitochondria produce the energy necessary for the oxidation of a special substance, luciferin, with the participation of the corresponding enzyme, luciferase. The visible result of this reaction is bioluminescence - glow.
The efficiency of firefly flashlights is unusually high. If in an ordinary light bulb only 5% of the energy is converted into visible light (and the rest is dissipated as heat), then in fireflies 87 to 98% of the energy is converted into light rays!
The light emitted by these insects belongs to the rather narrow yellow-green zone of the spectrum and has a wavelength of 500–650 nm. There are no ultraviolet or infrared rays in the bioluminescent light of fireflies.
The luminescence process is under nervous control. Many species are capable of decreasing and increasing the intensity of light at will, as well as emitting intermittent light.
Both male and female fireflies have a luminous organ. Moreover, the larvae, pupae, and even the eggs laid by these beetles glow, although much weaker.
The light emitted by many tropical firefly species is very bright. The first Europeans to settle in Brazil, in the absence of candles, lit their homes with fireflies. They also filled the lamps in front of the icons. Indians still tie large fireflies to their big toes when traveling through the jungle at night. Their light not only helps you see the road, but also possibly repels snakes.
Entomologist Evelyn Chisman wrote in 1932 that some eccentric ladies in South America and the West Indies, where especially large fireflies are found, decorated their hair and dress with these insects before evening celebrations, and the living jewelry on them sparkled like diamonds.
You and I cannot admire the glow of bright tropical species, but fireflies also live in our country.
Our most common big firefly(Lampyris noctiluca) is also known as " Ivanov the worm " This name was given to the female of this species, which has an elongated wingless body. It is her rather bright flashlight that we usually notice in the evenings. Male fireweeds are small (about 1 cm) brown bugs with well-developed wings. They also have luminescent organs, but you can usually notice them only by picking up the insect.
In the book by Gerald Durrell, the lines from which are taken as an epigraph to our article, it is most likely mentioned flying firefly -Luciola mingrelica beetleLuciola mingrelica, found not only in Greece, but also on the Black Sea coast (including in the Novorossiysk area), and often stage similar fantastic performances there.
And in Primorye you can find a rare and little-studied firefly pyrocoelia(Pyrocaelia rufa). Both males and females of this species glow actively on dark August nights.
In Japan live Luciola parva and Luciola vitticollis.
It is believed that the bioluminescence of fireflies is a means of intersexual communication: partners use light signals to let each other know about their location. And if our fireflies glow with a constant light, then many tropical and North American forms blink their lanterns, and in a certain rhythm. Some species perform real serenades for their partners, choral serenades, flaring up and dying out in unison with the entire flock gathered on one tree.
And the beetles located on the neighboring tree also flash in concert, but not in time with the fireflies sitting on the first tree. Also, in their own rhythm, the bugs glow on other trees. Eyewitnesses say that this spectacle is so bright and beautiful that it outshines the illumination of large cities.
Hour after hour, weeks and even months, the bugs blink on their trees in the same rhythm. Neither wind nor heavy rain can change the intensity and frequency of outbreaks. Only the bright light of the moon can dim these unique natural lanterns for a while.
You can disturb the synchronization of flashes if you illuminate the tree with a bright lamp. But when the external light goes out, the fireflies again, as if on command, begin to blink. First, those in the center of the tree adapt to the same rhythm, then neighboring beetles join them and gradually waves of lights flashing in unison spread throughout all branches of the tree.
Males of different species of fireflies fly in search of flashes of a certain intensity and frequency - signals emitted by the female of their species. As soon as the huge eyes catch the required light password, the male descends nearby, and the beetles, shining lights for each other, perform the sacrament of marriage. However, this idyllic picture can sometimes be disrupted in the most terrible way due to the fault of the females of some species belonging to the genus Photuris. These females emit signals that attract males of other species. And then they simply snack on them. This phenomenon is called aggressive mimicry.
Nature endows its creations with many amazing properties, one of the most interesting and amazing is glow. Fireflies, beetles from the family of the same name, have the characteristic feature of emitting light. The largest number of species live in tropical latitudes, but in the temperate zone beacons light up at night. Ivanov's worm is the name given to the common firefly in Russia. Females of this species signal invitingly with a greenish lantern on their abdomen. In the darkness of the night, on the edge of a forest, clearing or lake shore, you can see lonely lights.
Morphological description of the species
The common firefly (Lampyrisnoctiluca) belongs to the order Coleoptera. The length of the adult is 12-18 mm. Insects are found throughout Europe and Asia. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced:
- The male has a cigar-shaped body measuring no more than 15 mm. The large head is covered by the pronotum. The eyes are hemispherical, the antennae are short and thread-like. The body covers are soft. The dark elytra are covered with punctures. The wings are transparent and fold on the back. Beetles lack oral apparatus, they do not feed, and live off the nutrients accumulated by the larval phase.
- The female has an elongated, flat body. The elytra and wings are reduced. Externally, insects look like larvae. Only female fireflies have the ability to glow bioluminescently. The light is created by an organ located in the last three segments of the abdomen. In this area the body cover is translucent.
Interesting fact. The insect received the name “Ivan’s worm” because of the Russian belief that the firefly lights its first light on the holiday of Ivan Kupala (July 7).
For whom does Ivanov's worm shine?
With night glow, sedentary females attract partners for mating. They cannot fly in search of active males, but they have found an interesting way to attract attention. Females sit on the ground or climb plants. The glow continues for two hours. If they fail to attract a partner, they continue to light the light for 7-10 days. Males notice the glow when they are within a radius of 50 meters from the object. The peak mating season occurs in late June and early July.
Interesting fact. Males choose females with the brightest light on the abdomen. She is able to bear more eggs.
Fireflies are nocturnal; they choose forest clearings and the banks of water bodies (lakes, rivers, streams) to live in. Adults and larvae love humidity, and in such places snails are found - the favorite food of the fireweed worm's offspring. The best time to observe fireflies is from 22 to 24 hours. The glow of insects should attract the attention of nocturnal predators, but frogs and reptiles do not bother them. This is due to the presence of poison in the body of fireflies.
Shine Mechanism
A chemical reaction allows an organ to emit a greenish-yellow glow. Female Lampyris noctiluca have a group of special cells entangled with tracheas for oxygen supply and nerve endings. Cells are filled with luciferin, a biological pigment that, when oxidized, produces light. The released energy is almost entirely used for glow, only 2% goes to heat. Cells with uric acid crystals serve as reflectors of light waves. Larvae can also emit glow, but to a lesser extent.
Information. Male fireflies often confuse the light of a waiting partner and the light of artificial lamps.
Reproduction
After mating, females begin ovipositing. Over three days, they lay 50-100 eggs, placing them under moss or in grass tissue. The eggs are 1 mm in diameter, light yellow, and can glow. The embryo is visible through the thin shell. Having given life to their offspring, the imagoes die. After 2-3 weeks the larvae appear. On their dark body, consisting of 12 segments, light spots are noticeable, which disappear with age. The head is small, the mandibles are sickle-shaped, and has a sucking canal. At the end of the abdomen there is a special brush for cleaning mucus from mollusks.
Predatory larvae feed on slugs and snails. The prey is several times larger than the hunters. The larva bites the mollusk several times and injects poison that liquefies the body. After some time, she drinks the nutrient substance. During development, the larvae molt 4-5 times. By winter, they hide under stones and pupate. The pupa overwinters. In the spring a beetle emerges from it.
The development of the larvae may take several years. There have been recorded cases of a decrease in the number of fireflies in different years associated with this factor. Habitat destruction, pollution or drainage of water bodies, and large amounts of artificial lighting lead to the death of insects.
On a fine summer evening, when the first twilight is just beginning to fall on the ground, you can easily see a mysterious glow among the tall blades of grass. When you come a little closer and take a good look, you will discover with a smile that these are your old acquaintances - fireflies.
These bugs, known to everyone since childhood, still intrigue and attract. However, the question of why they emit light remains open.
Fireflies are a family of terrestrial nocturnal beetles that have the ability to produce a cool, yellowish-green light in the dark. They are dark brown in color and reach a length of one and a half centimeters. In the world as a whole, there are about 2,000 species of them, and almost all of the bugs, like their larvae, are predators. They feed on invertebrates such as slugs and snails.
These insects are most common in tropical and subtropical climates; they are found to a lesser extent in temperate geographic zones. They glow mainly for reasons of communication, and emit sexual, searching, protective and territorial signals.
Not all varieties of fireflies have the full spectrum of the above signals. Basically, they are limited only to conscripts. Why does the phenomenon of glow occur and how do the “flashlights” of fireflies work?
The scientific explanation for yellow-green beacons
The ability for bioluminescence, for producing light, in these insects is primarily due to the presence of special luminescent organs, photocytes.
At the tip of the abdomen, under the transparent part of the shell, fireflies have several segments in which, under the influence of luciferase, luciferin and oxygen are mixed. The process of oxidation or breakdown of luciferin becomes the main reason why beetles emit light.
Most members of the family are capable of adjusting the brightness of an incandescent light or producing short, intermittent flashes. And some fireflies glow synchronously. The answer to the question of why bugs don’t glow all the time will be a fairly widespread opinion in the scientific world: fireflies can control the access of oxygen to the luminescence organ.
A little romance or time for a date
By studying fireflies, entomologists have come to the conclusion that the main reason why bugs flicker in the dark is their desire to attract a potential mate. Each species has its own distinctive signals, exhibiting different light patterns. Thus, female fireflies, sitting on a leaf, send certain signals to male fireflies, which hover in the air and look for their “companion”.
Seeing a familiar light, they head straight towards it. Once nearby, the fireflies mate, and the female immediately lays fertilized eggs in the ground, from which larvae will later hatch, flat in shape and brown in color. Some larvae glow until they turn into beetles.
Small tricks of the female half
Attracting a potential mate is not the only reason why fireflies use their gift for bioluminescence. Some species of flickering beetles can produce light for completely opposite purposes.
For example, fireflies belonging to the Photuris species are able to exactly copy the signals of fireflies of another species. Thus, females deceive gullible male strangers.
When they fly up in the hope of mating, Photuris females devour them and receive enough nutrients for themselves and the larvae of their species ready to hatch from the ground.
Unconventional use of natural lanterns
Looking at the bright flickering of fireflies, since ancient times people have wondered why not use them for useful purposes. The Indians attached them to moccasins to illuminate paths and scare away snakes. The first settlers to South America used these bugs as lighting for their huts. In some settlements this tradition has been preserved to this day.
In the modern world, the question of why and how fireflies acquired the ability to bioluminescence, and how their gift can be used for scientific purposes, excites the mind of more than one entomologist. Scientists, through extensive trial and error, even managed to find a gene that causes the cells of these insects to produce luciferase.
Once this gene was isolated, it was transplanted into a tobacco leaf and the seeds were sown in an entire plantation. The emerging crop glowed when darkness fell. Experiments with fireflies are not over yet: a lot of new and interesting discoveries await us.
Beautiful and mysterious fireflies can not only delight our eyes. These creatures are capable of more serious matters.
In summer twilight, at the edge of the forest, along a country road or in a meadow, you can see, if you’re lucky, a “living star” in the tall, wet grass. When you come closer to take a good look at the mysterious “light bulb”, you will most likely be disappointed to find a soft worm-like body with a luminous end of a jointed abdomen on the stem.
Hmmm... The spectacle is not at all romantic. It is perhaps best to admire the firefly from afar. But what is this creature that irresistibly attracts us with its cool greenish glow?
FIRE PASSIONS
The common firefly - and it is the one that attracts our attention in most of the territory of European Russia - is a beetle from the lampyrid family. Unfortunately, its name is clearly outdated today - in summer cottages near large cities, the “living lantern” has long become a rarity.
In the old days in Rus' this insect was known as Ivanov (or Ivanovo) worm. A bug that looks like a worm? Could this be possible? Maybe. After all, our hero is a creature in some sense underdeveloped. The greenish “bulb” is a wingless, larval-like female. At the end of her unprotected abdomen there is a special luminous organ, with the help of which the bug calls for a male.
“I’m here, and I haven’t mated with anyone yet,” is what her light signal means. The one to whom this “sign of love” is addressed looks like an ordinary beetle. With head, wings, legs. He is not satisfied with the illumination - it is of no use to him. His task is to find a free female and mate with her to procreate.
Perhaps our distant ancestors intuitively felt that the mysterious light of insects contained a love call. It was not for nothing that they associated the name of the beetle with Ivan Kupala - the ancient pagan holiday of the summer solstice.
It is celebrated on June 24 according to the old style (July 7 according to the new style). It is during this period of the year that it is easiest to find a firefly. Well, if it sits on a fern leaf, then from afar it can pass for that same wonderful flower that blooms on a fabulous Kupala night.
As already mentioned, the fireweed is a representative of the family of luminous lampyrid beetles, numbering about two thousand species. True, most insects that emit radiance prefer the tropics and subtropics. You can admire these exotic creatures without leaving Russia in Primorye on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.
If you have ever walked along the Sochi or Adler embankments and alleys on a warm evening, you could not help but notice the small yellowish tracer lights filling the summer twilight of the “Russian Riviera”. The “designer” of this impressive illumination is the Luciola mingrelica beetle, with both females and males contributing to the resort’s lighting design.
Unlike the unblinking glow of our northern firefly, the sexual signaling system of southerners is akin to Morse code. Cavaliers fly low above the ground and continuously emit search signals - flashes of light - at regular intervals. If the groom happens to be close to his betrothed sitting on the leaves of a bush, she responds to him with her characteristic outburst. Noticing this “sign of love,” the male abruptly changes his flight course, approaches the female and begins sending courtship signals - shorter and more frequent flashes.
In the countries of Southeast Asia, fireflies live that are capable of coordinating the sending of their “love calls” with the signals of nearby comrades. As a result, a striking picture emerges: thousands of tiny living light bulbs begin to flash and go out synchronously in the air and in the treetops. It seems that an invisible conductor controls this magical light and music.
Such an enchanting spectacle has long attracted many enthusiastic fans in Japan. Every year in June-July, in different cities of the Land of the Rising Sun, Hotaru Matsuri- Festival of fireflies.
Usually, in warm weather, before the start of the mass flight of luminous beetles, people gather at dusk in the garden near some Buddhist or Shinto shrine. As a rule, the “bug festival” is timed to coincide with the new moon - so that the “extraneous” light does not distract the audience from the fairy-tale show of living lights. Many Japanese believe that winged lanterns are the souls of their deceased ancestors.
Still from the anime "Grave of the Fireflies"
TRUSTING HARMONY IN ALGEBRA...
There are no words, stars glowing underfoot, in the treetops or loitering almost overhead in the warm night air. - the spectacle is truly magical. But this definition, far from science, cannot satisfy a scientist who seeks to understand the physical nature of any phenomenon in the surrounding world.
To reveal the secret of “His Excellency” the lampirid beetle - this was the goal set by the 19th century French physiologist Raphael Dubois. To solve this problem, he separated the luminescent organs from the abdomen of insects and ground them in a mortar, turning them into a luminous homogeneous pulp, then added a little cold water. The “flashlight” shone in the mortar for a few more minutes, after which it went out.
When the scientist added boiling water to the gruel prepared in the same way, the fire went out instantly. One day, a researcher combined the contents of a “cold” and “hot” mortar for testing. To his amazement, the glow resumed! Dubois could only explain such an unexpected effect from a chemical point of view.
After racking his brains, the physiologist came to the conclusion: the “living light bulb” is “turned on” by two different chemicals. The scientist named them luciferin and luciferase. In this case, the second substance somehow activates the first, causing it to glow.
In the “cold” mortar, the glow stopped because luciferin ran out, and in the “hot” mortar, the glow stopped because luciferase was destroyed under the influence of high temperature. When the contents of both mortars were combined, luciferin and luciferase met again and “shine.”
Further research confirmed the correctness of the French physiologist. Moreover, it turned out that chemicals such as luciferin and luciferase are present in the luminous organs of all known species of lampyrid beetles living in different countries and even on different continents.
Having unraveled the phenomenon of the glow of insects, scientists eventually penetrated into another secret of the “radiant persons”. How is the synchronous light music that we described above created? By studying the light organs of “fire” insects, researchers found that nerve fibers connect them with the eyes of fireflies.
The operation of the “living light bulb” directly depends on the signals that the insect’s visual analyzer receives and processes; the latter, in turn, sends commands to the light organ. Of course, one beetle cannot survey the crown of a large tree or the expanse of a clearing. He sees flashes of his relatives who are near him, and acts in unison with them.
They focus on their neighbors and so on. A kind of “agent network” arises, in which each small signalman is in his place and transmits light information along the chain, not knowing how many individuals are involved in the system.
WITH “HIS LORDSHIP” THROUGH THE JUNGLE
Of course, people value fireflies primarily for their beauty, mystery and romance. But in Japan, for example, in the old days these insects were collected in special wicker vessels. Nobles and rich geishas used them as elegant night lights, and “living lanterns” helped poor students cram at night. By the way, 38 beetles provide as much light as an average sized wax candle.
“Stars on legs” have long been used as lighting devices by the indigenous people of Central and South America to ritually decorate their homes and themselves on holidays. The first European settlers in Brazil filled lamps near Catholic icons with beetles instead of oil. “Living lanterns” provided a particularly valuable service to those traveling through the Amazon jungle.
To protect the safety of nighttime movement through the tropical forest infested with snakes and other poisonous creatures, the Indians tied fireflies to their legs. Thanks to this “illumination,” the risk of accidentally stepping on a dangerous jungle inhabitant was significantly reduced.
To a modern extreme sports enthusiast, even the Amazonian thicket may seem like a well-trodden place. Today, the only area where tourism is only taking its first steps is space. But it turns out that fireflies are able to make a worthy contribution to its development.
IS THERE LIFE ON MARS? THE FIREFLY WILL TELL
Let us recall once again Raphael Dubois, through whose efforts the world in the 19th century learned about luciferin and luciferase - two chemical substances that cause “living” radiance. In the first half of the last century, his discovery was significantly expanded.
It turned out that for the “bug light bulb” to work properly, a third component is needed, namely adenosine triphosphoric acid, or ATP for short. This important biological molecule was discovered in 1929, so the French physiologist did not even suspect its participation in his experiments.
In the movie "Avatar" not only insects and animals glow in the dark, but also plants
ATP is a kind of “portable battery” in a living cell, whose task is to provide energy for all reactions of biochemical synthesis. Including the interaction between luciferin and luciferase - after all, light emission also requires energy. First, thanks to adenosine triphosphoric acid, luciferin transforms into a special “energy” form, and then luciferase turns on a reaction, as a result of which its “extra” energy is converted into a quantum of light.
Oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and calcium also participate in the luminescence reactions of lampyrid beetles. That’s how difficult everything is in “living light bulbs”! But they have amazingly high efficiency. As a result of the conversion of chemical energy ATP into light, only two percent is lost as heat, while a light bulb wastes 96 percent of its energy.
All this is good, you say, but what does space have to do with it? But here's what it has to do with it. Only living organisms “can make” the mentioned acid, but absolutely everything - from viruses and bacteria to humans. Luciferin and luciferase are capable of glowing in the presence of ATP, which is synthesized by any living organism, not necessarily a firefly.
At the same time, these two substances discovered by Dubois, artificially deprived of their constant companion, will not give a “light”. But if all three participants in the reaction come together again, the glow may resume.
It was on this idea that the project was based, which was developed at the American Aerospace Agency (NASA) in the 60s of the last century. It was supposed to supply automatic space laboratories intended for studying the surface of the planets of the solar system with special containers containing luciferin and luciferase. At the same time, they had to be completely cleared of ATP.
Having taken a soil sample on another planet, it was necessary, without wasting time, to combine a small amount of “cosmic” soil with terrestrial luminescence substrates. If at least microorganisms live on the surface of a celestial body, then their ATP will come into contact with luciferin, “charge” it, and then luciferase will “turn on” the luminescence reaction.
The received light signal is transmitted to Earth, and there people will immediately understand that there is life! Well, the absence of glow, alas, will mean that this island in the Universe is most likely lifeless. So far, apparently, no greenish “living light” has blinked at us from any planet in the solar system. But - research continues!
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Some insects have the amazing ability to glow. Their number is small and limited to only a few groups, such as springtails, fungus gnat larvae and representatives of a number of families of the order Coleoptera. The ability to glow is most strongly developed in beetles. The most characteristic in this regard are fireflies.
Fireflies are often classified as a separate family, Lampyriclae. But more often than not they are classified as soft-bodied animals. In total, about 2 thousand species of fireflies are known in the world fauna.
These truly soft-bodied beetles are distributed mainly in the subtropics and tropics. Although they are all called fireflies, not every species has luminescent organs. There are a few among them that are active during the day. Naturally, they do not need luminous organs. Those that are active at night and have an amazing ability to glow differ in character and, so to speak, mode of glow. In some species, such organs are developed in both sexes, in others - only in females, in others - only in males.
Our fireflies, of which there are 12 species in Russia and neighboring countries, are not much inferior to “tropical lamps”: they produce quite strong light.
In most cases, the light color of beetles is dominated by blue and green tones. The light emitted by insects covers wavelengths from 486 to 656 millimicrons. This area is small and very effective for human eyes. The release of heat during glowing is negligible, and, for example, in pyrophorus, 98% of the expended energy is converted into light. For comparison, let us recall that in conventional incandescent light bulbs, no more than 4% of the consumed electricity is utilized.
Scientists have spent a lot of effort to disassemble the structure of the organs of luminescence and understand its mechanism. The luminous organ consists of a mass of multifaceted cells with very thin transparent walls, inside of which there is a fine-grained mass. Between such cells, air tubes branch in large numbers. The reason for the glow is the oxidation of the contents of these cells with oxygen, which is delivered to them by the mentioned tubes. The luminous organs also include the fat body. It is believed that the luminescence of photogenic cells is associated with an oxidative process of an enzymatic nature: a special substance, luciferin, is oxidized into oxyluciferin in the presence of the enzyme luciferase. This process is accompanied by luminescence and is controlled by the nervous system.
The biological significance of luminescence has not been sufficiently studied. It is natural to assume that it serves to bring the sexes closer together. Or a signal when food is detected, since several individuals often gather for a meal at the same time. In most cases the female shines brighter
Subtropical firefly species are larger than ours and fly well. As a rule, beetles of both sexes emit light. This is how A. Bram describes this spectacle: “These bugs gather in large groups on the banks of rivers overgrown with bushes. On a dark summer moonless night they present a delightful sight. They fly from place to place with sparkling sparks, but with the onset of morning they go out, and the worms themselves become invisible, hiding somewhere in the grass.”
Those who have been to the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and did not limit themselves to visiting beaches and embankments can remember how in the evenings in the secluded alleys of parks and in shaded squares, periodically flashing, silently, like magical elves, these amazing creatures flutter.
Adults and larvae of almost all fireflies are active and voracious predators: they feed on insects or mollusks, although they can attack earthworms and caterpillars of cutworm butterflies. Some species develop under the bark and in the wood of rotting trees. Adults are often found on flowers.
Spreading. The common firefly is widespread throughout the European part of Russia (except for the north), as well as in the Crimea, the Caucasus, Siberia and the Far East. About 100 years ago it could often be found in Moscow, on the territory of modern Neskuchny Garden. Here is a description of Neskuchny at the time when the garden belonged to Prince Shakhovsky: “From the middle of the bridge a gorge opened onto a gorge, covered with forest, gloomy and deep. The hundred-year-old trees growing at its bottom seem like saplings. Their roots are washed by a barely noticeable stream that forms a small pond on the other side of the bridge. There are numerous snakes in the fat, there are bats, and fireflies sparkle at night.” Unfortunately, now there is no hope of meeting this amazing insect in the center of Moscow. To do this, you should go to more remote places.
External signs. The common firefly is small in size; its body is flattened and covered with small hairs. Looking at the dark brown female, you would never think that this is a beetle. It is inactive, completely devoid of wings and elytra, and resembles a larva, from which it differs only in its wider chest shield. The head is completely hidden under the rounded neck shield, the antennae are thread-like. Luminous organs in the form of yellowish spots are located on the underside of the two penultimate abdominal segments. In the dark they emit a bright greenish light. Interestingly, the eggs laid by the female also emit a dim glow at first, but soon this light fades away.
The larva of the common firefly has a very small head. The last segment of the abdomen bears a retractile brush, consisting of a double ring of cartilaginous rays. With its help, the larva removes mucus and earth particles from its body that stick to it. This is absolutely necessary for her, since she feeds (as, indeed, often adults) on slugs and snails, which are covered in abundance with mucus.
Lifestyle. Mating occurs on the soil surface or on low plants and often lasts 1 - 3 hours. The female is capable of laying up to 100 eggs. She hides them in depressions in the soil, in moss or in various debris.
The development and feeding of the larvae emerging from them lasts several months. At the larval stage, the firefly usually overwinters. The pupa forms in the soil in the spring. After a week or two, a beetle comes out of it. The entire life cycle of a firefly lasts 1 - 2 years.
Some authors write that, when disturbed, fireflies stop glowing. My personal experience with the common firefly does not allow me to agree with such a statement. Somehow I needed to find several specimens of these beetles for photography. Attempts to detect them in the immediate Moscow region were unsuccessful. Neither my friends and acquaintances, nor I myself have ever met them here. But whoever seeks will always find! Our meeting took place on the edge of a forest on a dark June midnight in the Yaroslavl region. (By the way, the popular name of the firefly Ivan's worm is probably explained by the fact that it is most often found at the end of June, when Midsummer Day - Ivan Kupala - was widely celebrated in Rus').
For several days before this there had been sweltering heat, which, as it should be at this time, ended one day with thunderous rain. After this thunderstorm, I walked through the forest from the highway to my village. And so, crossing a small field overgrown with young birch trees, over which small white clouds of vapor fluttered like ghosts, I suddenly saw bright lights in the grass. Fireflies! Of course it was them. It's good that I had a flashlight with me. Otherwise it would be difficult to collect them. I immediately took off my backpack and started getting ready. The light coming from the female was not enough to illuminate her. I squatted down near the luminous point, carefully parted the grass and directed the flashlight beam at it. Here the whole slightly crooked, larval-like wingless female was visible. She tenaciously held onto the blade of grass with her feet, clearly not wanting to part with it. Indeed, waiting was her lot. Waiting for the gentleman. Near some of the females there were also males - slender, I would say, elegant beetles, equipped with full-fledged elytra. This was especially useful - after all, I needed individuals of both sexes. It would be simply impossible to find males without females: after all, although they have luminescent organs, they practically do not emit light. From a fairly large number of beetles glowing around, I selected only a few pairs and placed them in a jar. At the same time, the males did not show the slightest desire to escape from my fingers and fly away. I knew that, although they are winged, they fly rarely and reluctantly.
That night I discovered that those who believe that disturbed fireflies stop emitting light are wrong. During my hunt, some females fell to the ground. But they never stopped glowing for a moment, which made it easier to find them in the grass. Moreover, the glow continued even after the caught beetles ended up in a glass jar. They glowed inside her for a long time, both on the way home and home. In complete darkness, 5 - 6 females emitted enough light to make out the text of a book brought to this amazing lamp.
Role in nature. The common firefly is a very characteristic inhabitant of wooded areas, inhabiting forest edges, clearings, roadsides, banks of lakes and streams. Here, in damp places, it easily finds its main food - terrestrial mollusks, which it destroys in abundance.
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