Why do fireflies glow?

On summer nights, we can often see fireflies flashing in the grass, like elves carrying lanterns. I believe that everyone has had doubts about why it shines. Let's introduce the secret of fireflies ~

1, the luminous principle of fireflies

The luminous principle of fireflies is that there is a phosphorus-containing luminescent substance and a catalytic enzyme in its luminous part. Fireflies have some air holes in their luminous bodies. After air is introduced through pores, luminescent substances will be oxidized by oxygen through the catalysis of enzymes. And then emits light through this mechanism.

The light emitted in this way is called cold light, because most of the energy is converted into light energy and only a small part is converted into heat energy. Because the conversion between luminescence and light energy is quite efficient, fireflies can glow for a long time. The firefly itself can also control whether it does this to control whether it shines.

2. The structure of firefly illuminator

The luminous organ of fireflies consists of several layers of cells. It is located below the end of the firefly's stomach and consists of luminescent cells, reflective layer cells, nerves and epidermis. In luminescent cells, there is a kind of light scale containing fluorescein, which is not simple. After a series of complex reactions, it can release a kind of energy, which will be mostly converted into light energy, so fireflies will shine. The reflective layer is like a lampshade, which concentrates the encountered light and then reflects it out.

3, the role of fireflies shine

The light emitted by fireflies is a communication tool. Different kinds of fireflies have different ways, frequencies and colors to convey different information.

Courtship fireflies glow because of the mutual attraction and pursuit between men and women, thus sending out courtship signals.

● The reason for warning fireflies to glow is to scare the enemy. Fireflies glow when they are in danger from the outside. Such as the light emitted by firefly larvae and pupae.

● Trapping fireflies is carnivorous. They prey on mollusks such as snails and slugs and annelids such as earthworms. After getting the prey, they inject the secretion into the prey with the upper jaw, digest it in vitro, and then inhale it. Usually a snail will have many fireflies to share. Eggs, larvae, pupae and adults can emit light, and the light of adults can attract the opposite sex.

4. Life habits of fireflies

Fireflies are divided into terrestrial and aquatic types according to their living environment, with the former accounting for the majority. Terrestrial firefly larvae mostly live in places with high shelter, lush herbaceous vegetation and high relative humidity, and each state of aquatic fireflies has different ecological habitats; The pupa stage is spent in water. Adults are divided into male and female insects that enter the open water above the water surface and plants near the water, and their eggs are laid on the shore.

According to different species, the activity time of fireflies is different. There are diurnal species and nocturnal species day and night, and nocturnal species appear from 18 to 3 or 4 am. Generally speaking, most species start to move after sunset, and most stop at 20 pm and 2 1 point. Firefly larvae appear at night almost as long as adults, but they can move all night.