Science Video Friday - Firefly Double Feature

Science Video Friday comes to you today as a double feature! One of the neatest topics within entomology is bioluminescence, the process by which insects can create their own light. The first insect you probably think of when you hear that is the firefly. Those of us in the eastern US are fortunate enough to live in areas where fireflies also live: west of the Rockies, you don't really find them.

Fireflies can flash in a variety of colors, including orange, yellow, and even blue! The color of their flash is one way they recognize their own species in the dark, so if you see fireflies in your yard at night and there are two different colors flashing, you have at least two separate species.

Now it's time to learn a bit more about fireflies, with the wonderful series "Meet the Lampyridae." Enjoy!




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