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.
