Flash! Those pretty fireflies are meat-eaters! (And other enlightening lightning bug facts)

The Dominion Post ^ | 2004/07/09 | DAVE MILNE

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Just an interesting bit of bug knowledge for you.
Probably not the offical insect of PETA.

[BibChr]

The chemicals that make them light up taste bitter

Gotta wonder who discovered that, why, how, and what looks his colleagues (and wife) gave him when he announced his findings.

Dan

[Fierce Allegiance]

If I recall, The experimenter who found out they taste was an 8 year old boy named Jeff. The experiment was conducted approximately 30 years ago.

Have a nice day.
Jeff

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Gotta wonder who discovered that, why, how, and what looks his colleagues (and wife) gave him when he announced his findings.

I discovered it when I was four years old. :^P

[The Other Harry]

They're busy now.

I once asked a question on a UseNet group about why they are sometimes called fireflys and sometimes called lightning bugs. The results were interesting. Illuminating.

[2banana]

I remember I thought it would be a cute thing to do with my kids to put a bunch of fireflies into a jar to bring into the house (as sort of a "natural candle").

We caught about 2 dozen and the jar was lighting up like crazy. After about an hour, the lights slackened off a great deal. We went to investigate and found a firefly buffet going on - with either the fireflies eating or getting eaten by one another.

It was funny but strange...

[mtbopfuyn]

Perhaps we could put the dimwits in a jar and see what happens.

[EUPHORIC]

I'm originally from California and saw my first Firefly at 32 in Bedform Massachussets. Was sitting in a dark bedroom looking out the window at the flashing light of a "plane" flying in the distange just above the treeline when it dove down at a steep angle below the treeline obviously between me and the trees! I almost fainted jumped up dumbfounded and yelled out in a profound tone of voice "OH MY GOD! IT IS A PHENOMENA!" imagine my freaked state when it turned and headed straight towards my window! I realized what it was when it flew right past the window.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I just relocated from Hawaii to Philly.

I'm sorry. ;)

[Williams]

"OH MY GOD! IT IS A PHENOMENA!"

I always say the same thing when I'm startled. Of course, I correctly use the singular form, "OH MY GOD, IT'S A PHENOMENON!"

[Sunshine Sister]

I used to catch them and put them in a jar so I could read in the dark. I'm still wondering why that didn't work!

[Hang'emAll]

Actually, fireflies are rarely seen in the western United States. You must come as far east as Kansas to begin seeing them on a regular basis....

I drive through So Texas at night twice a week. I've see them in the dense patches of trees/brush that lines certain areas of highway 77 from Waco to Corpus.

One night we had a candlelight dinner in a windowed breakfast nook and I looked up and there were a mess of lightning bugs that were attracted to the flickering light flying up and down the windows.

[sphinx]

If I recall, The experimenter who found out they taste was an 8 year old boy named Jeff. The experiment was conducted approximately 30 years ago.

Were you a reliable observer at age 8? I think that before reporting scientific findings in a public forum you should replicate the results. It would be important if you could get several of your friends to confirm your results as well.

[evets]

"chemical reaction between luciferin and luciferase"
Lucifer = "light-bearer" shining one, morning star
(He fell from that postition. Now He is 'Satan' -the accuser)

[eleni121]

A beautiful sight: a field lit up by fireflies on warm June night. And they work their magic while devouring mosquitoes.

[brothers4thID]

Which just kind of adds to some irony of the poster posting this particular piece no?

[dead]

Additional fact discovered by myself as a young researcher - if you hit them just right with a wiffle ball bat, you can get a glowing smear on your bat. Hit enough of them, and your whole bat will glow.

[RandallFlagg]

"Competition?
I can't wait to eat meet 'em.."