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FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:32 am
by applestar
I was hilling up the onions with soil pulled up from under the path mulch and accidentally dug up a just emerged firefly, pale adult colors and still soft bodied like it had recently shed it's pupa husk. I was really happy since it must have grown up eating the slugs under the mulch.
Providing the Light on Photinus ignitus
Do you remember those warm, summer nights in your backyard searching for a glimpse of a flashing glow? The glows of these beetles, commonly known as fireflies, have much more purpose than satisfying our late night adventures of obtaining an insect that will light up a jar. These bioluminescent signals can indicate a variety of things. Mostly, these flashes are produced by the firefly’s to indicate to a mate which kind of lightning bug species they are! The species of firefly that we will be talking about is named Photinus ignitus. In this website, there will be much more content on the bioluminescence of Photinus ignitus and more! Little does mankind realize how well adapted these little insects appear to be. This website also provides information on howPhotinus ignitus contains defensive steroids that make them so bad-tasting, that there predators think twice about making this firefly their next meal. You can read more about the connections that Photinus ignitus has with its predators, prey, and same species in Interactions page. If you want to get more detail with fireflies in general, take a quick glance at the Fun Facts....
https://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/f2013/t ... /index.htm
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:53 am
by applestar
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:25 am
by rainbowgardener
very interesting about the fireflies, I didn't know anything about their lifecycle. But sad to see something from a .edu source with grammar and spelling mistakes.
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 12:04 pm
by applestar
.edu site usually has a contact email address and I'm sure they would appreciate and rectify the situation.
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 5:51 am
by applestar
One thought that occurred to me while looking out the window and watching them flash in the night....
I had previously thought that fireflies only bred near a stream/fresh not stagnant water source, and wondered where the fireflies that come to my garden came from. Nearest open water is a tiny creek that has been corralled into a ditch drain beyond the woods behind my property, then sent underground as storm drain below streets of my development until it emerges about 1/2 mile away on the other side of the development and flows into a large pond/tiny lake.
...now that I've recognized the "weird pink shrimp like thing" as firefly pupae and see them often when I'm preparing for spring planting, I know that the ones flying in my garden at night are likely newly emerged permanent residents that have been working in the Garden Patrol for years, and after a summer of courtship, laying the eggs for next generation right here in my garden.
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 6:35 am
by grwrn
I have been a citizen scientist and counting fireflies this summer for research for Clemson University. I have learned quite a bit by just watching the video on the main page.
https://www.clemson.edu/public/rec/baruc ... y_project/
They are in their larvae stage for 1 year
and are really beneficial insects except they do eat earthworms.
I did download the app to do my counts but it doesn't work well for me and I just put my counts through the link on the main page.
I encourage you all to count the fireflies and help the environment.
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:49 pm
by Lindsaylew82
There are so many here this year! Maybe they were drawn to the early slug infestation. My kid turns 3 in a few days and she had her first experience with fireflies a few weeks ago. It was magical!
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:33 pm
by applestar
DD told me she saw fireflies last night so I was eager to look out the window today as soon as it got fully dark.... And sure enough! They are HERE! Blinking in the trees and bushes outside.
So happy knowing they have grown up eating slugs in my garden.
(...and there are earthworms to spare in the garden -- I don't mind if the fireflies eat some.
)
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:26 pm
by Lindsaylew82
We have lots of them this year as well!
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 1:05 pm
by applestar
Fireflies are showing up in numbers from 1-3 in my garden -- they seem a little late this year ...maybe the weird cool/late spring weather or the drought is delaying their emergence.
I found this photo and thought it is super cool -- caption says it's a composite photo
Creating a buzz: In this composite of 50 images taken with a 30-second exposure, fireflies buzz around in the Tsubame no Mori Hiroba Garden on the roof of JR Hakata Station in Fukuoka Prefecture on Tuesday evening. | KYODO
Firefly enclosure livens up Hakata Station rooftop | The Japan Times
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/0 ... 24Y2rzEyh8
Re: FIREFLY, Garden Patrol Snails and Slugs Specialist
Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:51 pm
by KitchenGardener
I grew up in New England and I so miss fireflies! I wish they were around here - I certainly have enough slugs for them to snack on.
