Having chased and caught many of these as a child, I can definitely say that I know very little about them apparently, although I am pretty sure of #2, 3, and 5.

Will return to check for clues. Perfect weeding weather!

Cynthia

Yes Cyn - it is definitely perfect weeding weather. Also getting more laundry on the line. I cheated and started some yesterday. Our hydro, or electricity, is cheaper after 7.00 pm or on weekends, so I normally wait, but with all the rain we've been getting, I didn't chance it!
Interestingly, #3 used to be one, and is now the other. #5 might be a trick question....

Nancy - who is off to plant the last of the bargain lily bulbs!!

Sheesh. I still think I know #3 since I sort of remember it changing. Sort of, kind of seems to be my mantra these days when speaking about anything I should remember. Ha.

Cynthia

lol, I know what you mean!!

I cleaned a closet out yesterday - whew!! I keep way too much stuff - I found a bunch of literature about the millennium bug - do you all remember that?? What load of crap that turned out to be...I sure worried about losing my computer, though.

Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here is a musical clue!!

Doggone it! I had typed two or three paragraphs (very short ones) when my battery died, so it all disappeared. Hate that!

Anyway, the Mills Brothers are so wonderful, but the song points me back to what I used to think was the reason for lighting up as asked in #3. I went to sleep looking out the window at all the fireflies lighting up the yard-magical (and very attractive ;) )

Also, does your question 2 give away the answer for #4? I do know the answer to #2 since only one is visible to us!

Looks like I am the only one playing today. I have guesses for all and if no one else chimes in, I will give you my answers early.

Cynthia

lol, Cyn good catch, but #4 is the most correct description. Hmmm...yes, seems to be the two of us playing. I think when I get a late start like today, many people have already headed out for their day. Oh well - chime away!!

Nancy.

okay, here goes:

1. c. over 10,000 species

2. a. a cold light

3. b.they want to find a mate

4. true (only because I don't think I've ever seen a young one and am not sure what form it would be)

5. a. a chemical reaction

This is, again, a brilliant subject! Such fun and so timely. I love summer. Of course, being on vacation may have something to do with that. :)

Cynthia

We did not have fireflies in my area of SD and don't recall seeing any until I was an adult.
1. When in doubt go with c but that sounds like way too many so I will say
a. 2000 species.

2. a. A cold light

3. b. To find a mate DH recognized The Mills Brothers immediately as they had a MB album when he was growing up.

4. False

5. Bioluminescense

I checked in a couple of times this morning and then got busy with my current carpentry project plus some gardening after dinner. Neither of those did my back any good at all so it feels really good to sit in a comfy chair. I think an ibuprofen or two may be in order.

Trivia-wise, here's what I think:

1. I dunno.
2. Cold light
3. I think it's because they are looking to attract a mate.
4. I'll guess true.
5. All three answers are part of the process. The glow is called bioluminescence, which is a chemical reaction triggered by the enzyme luciferase.

TM

Mmmmm, we don't have fire flies here so mine will be just guesses. Our internet has been down for a good part of the day, It's always a good idea to have a little cash on hand, DH did the grocery shopping today, he said he saw a lot of full grocery carts abandoned at the tills, people couldn't use their debit cards etc. He had good old fashioned cash :).
#1 I'll go with (a)
#2 Hmmmmm????
#3 (b) sounds good to me
#4 I'll with False
#5 I like TM's answer for this one so I'll tag a long with him :).

Annette

Well, when you gotta glow, you gotta glow!!

1. About 2,000 species of firefly are found in temperate and tropical environments. Many are in marshes or in wet, wooded areas where their larvae have abundant sources of food. Firefly systematics, as with many insects, are in a constant state of flux, as new species continue to be discovered. The five subfamilies are the most commonly accepted ones, though others, such as the Amydetinae and Psilocladinae, have been proposed. This was mainly done in an attempt to revise the Lampyrinae, which bit by bit had become something of a "wastebin taxon" to hold incertae sedis species and genera of fireflies.

2. They are winged beetles, and commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuous crepuscular use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey. Fireflies produce a "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies. This chemically produced light from the lower abdomen may be yellow, green, or pale red, with wavelengths from 510 to 670 nanometers.

3. Light in adult beetles was originally thought to be used for similar warning purposes as for larvae, but now its primary purpose is thought to be used in mate selection. Fireflies are a classic example of an organism that uses bioluminescence for sexual selection. They have a variety of ways to communicate with mates in courtships: steady glows, flashing, and the use of chemical signals unrelated to photic systems.
Some species, especially lightning bugs of the genera Photinus, Photuris, and Pyractomena, are distinguished by the unique courtship flash patterns emitted by flying males in search of females. In general, females of the Photinus genus do not fly, but do give a flash response to males of their own species.

4. False - they glow at both stages of life, but for different reasons. In larvae, it appears to be a warning signal to predators, since many firefly larvae contain chemicals that are distasteful or toxic.

5. Light production in fireflies is due to a type of chemical reaction called bioluminescence. This process occurs in specialized light-emitting organs, usually on a firefly's lower abdomen. The enzyme luciferase acts on the luciferin, in the presence of magnesium ions, ATP, and oxygen to produce light. Genes coding for these substances have been inserted into many different organisms. Firefly luciferase is used in forensics, and the enzyme has medical uses in particular, for detecting the presence of ATP or magnesium. It has been speculated that Baroque painter Caravaggio may have prepared his canvases with a powder of dried fireflies to create a photosensitive surface on which he projected the image to be painted.

So there you go. I got the idea for this and for the loon question from a series in the Ottawa paper called the Science of Summer. We'll have to see where it takes us next week. So, for everyone:
{{gwi:608002}}

I'll get up earlier next week ;-)

Nancy.

There we go indeed. Lots of good info there.

Thanks Nancy, for the enjoyable questions and answers.

TM

A little late, but I will agree with TM on the bioluminescence, chemical reaction, luciferase thing! I will always agree with him on any science-related questions/answers!

Thanks for the fun and the 'stars' even though I pretty much flunked this one. ;)

Cynthia

Fun for me as well. Any knowledge I have about fireflies was obtained when I needed to explain them to my son.