BIG Q: Have You Ever Wondered Why Fireflies Light Up?

Why does even a sad firefly appear all jazzy and sparkling, buzzing silently in your room? Fireflies are also called lightning bugs, and they form a chemical reaction in their bodies which helps them light up. The production of light by combination of oxygen, Luciferin, calcium and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is called bioluminescence. All these compounds react with the enzyme ‘luciferase’—‘lucifer’ meaning light-bringer in Latin.

Since oxygen helps the light-producing organs, the glow immediately goes off at the unavailability of it. A firefly is in full charge of the amount of oxygen going inside its body, thereby regulating the pattern of glowing and the beginning and end of its reaction cycle.

Fireflies are Cannibals

For example, Photuris fireflies are the females of this species who mimic lighting patterns of other firefly species to prey on them! Yes, fireflies also eat each other. In some particular species, even their eggs and larvae produce light. Throughout their entire life span, fireflies continue to blink.

What appears magical to us, in scientists’ view a tool to communicate. Interesting?

Lighting patterns are different and dependent on what a firefly is trying to communicate. By flashing in quick intervals and choosing its colour, the flies talk to their mates in the group. Sometime, like Lightsaber in Star Wars, the glow protects them against predators.

Yes, they glow in a range of colours, almost like bulbs,—vivid yellow, yellowish-orange, green and yellowish-green. Sometimes all the fireflies synchronize or match their lighting pattern with the group. Squad goals?

But, do fireflies heat up like bulbs?

No. Unlike tube lights or bulbs, these winged creatures never emit heat no matter how for long they glow because of their ‘cold light.’