Have You Herd About Fireflies?

Fireflies are primarily carnivorous. Larvae usually eat snails and worms.

Some species of fireflies feed on other fireflies—most notable is the

genus photuris, which mimics female flashes of photinus,

a closely related species, in order to attract and devour the males of

that species. But adult fireflies have almost never been seen feeding

on other species of bugs. Scientists aren’t sure what they eat. They may

feed on plant pollen and nectar, or they may eat nothing.

In a firefly’s tail, you’ll find two chemicals: luciferase and luciferin.

Luciferin is heat resistant, and it glows under the right conditions.

Luciferase is an enzyme that triggers light emission. ATP, a chemical

within the firefly’s body, converts to energy and initiates the glow.

All living things, not just fireflies, contain ATP.