Fireflies

Fireflies are a kind of insect that can emit light which is clearly visible at night. This light is produced by "cold light" which does not contain ultraviolet nor infrared light and has a wavelength of 510 to 670 nanometers, with a pale red, yellow, or green color, with a light efficiency of up to 96%.Show more

Fireflies belong to the family Lampyridae which is a family in the beetle order Coleoptera. There are more than 2000 species of fireflies, which can be found in four seasons and tropical areas around the world. Many of these species are found in swamp or wet forest where there is ample food supply for their larvae.

Fireflies, which emit light to recognize each other or to signal mating, use different wavelengths of light, depending on the species. Also, in some species, the male flashes the light first to attract the female, while in others, the female "calls." Some fireflies use their light to defend themselves. They emit a light to signal to the enemy that they are not a delicacy.

For the Photuris group of fireflies, their light also plays a role in hunting. Females of this type can imitate flashing light signals emitted by females of other types, such as the Photuris. With this false light signal, male Photuris fireflies are trapped and eaten by female Photuris.

The glow of fireflies also acts as a warning sign, to warn members of their own kind about the threat of danger, as well as warning insects and birds of prey not to eat them. This is because the substance that triggers the formation of firefly light tastes bitter. Even if there are predatory insects that are desperate, they usually eat the body of a firefly from the head, all the way to the back, except for the stomach, which it doesn't eat.