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Oh so it’s a chemical reaction
Tiffi is so surprised to learn so much about this little bug as she continues to read this article. ‘Stinky chemical defenses - Many fireflies protect themselves from predators with chemicals called lucibufagins. These are molecules the insects synthesize from other chemicals they eat in their diet. Lucibufagins are…
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Where do lightning bugs go during the day?
Tiffi makes some phone calls but can’t reach all of them so she leaves phone messages. Time to get back to the googling. ‘Fireflies are so easy to spot during the night when their lights glow bright. But where do they go when the Sun rises? Do they burrow underground to wait for the night to return? Maybe they bathe in the…
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Where do they go during the winter?
‘In winter, the lightning bugs wear disguises. Chances are you can find a few if you know what to look for and root around in the likely places. These are not adult insects with gauzy wings for flying in the air. They may be hungry larvae or sleeping chrysalises. Their chance to become flashing fireflies will come later…
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The 4 Stages of the Firefly Life Cycle
‘Egg (Embryonic Stage) - The firefly life cycle begins with an egg. In midsummer, mated females will deposit about 100 spherical eggs, singly or in clusters, in the soil or near the soil surface. Fireflies prefer moist soils and will often choose to place their eggs under mulch or leaf litter, where the soil is less likely…
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Are Fireflies Disappearing?
‘You may have noticed you haven't seen as many fireflies on these summer nights as you used to. Are they disappearing? Here's what's going on and what you can do to help them make a comeback. Many of us have great memories of watching and catching fireflies on warm summer nights. Remember sitting out on the patio and…
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Firefly vs. Lightning Bug: Is There a Difference Between the Two?
Yeti makes some phone calls but now he’s curious to know what these lightning bugs are all about so he does some googling. ‘When you see a flashing insect in your backyard, do you call it a firefly or a lightning bug? And have you ever wondered if those names refer to two different insects? Despite their unique names,…
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Fun Facts About Fireflies
Yeti goes back to googling. ‘What’s more magical than a firefly light show on a warm summer night? Just remember that if you catch fireflies, you can keep them in a jar (with a lid punched to let in air and a moistened paper towel on the bottom) for only a day or two before you need to set them free. • There are more than…
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How to Find and Catch Fireflies
Back at Tiffi’s house she is still searching for more information that she can share with her friends. Aha! This might be the best article yet! ‘While fireflies are fairly widespread in North America, they’re far more prevalent in the eastern part of the country. The closer you get to the Rocky Mountains, the rarer they…
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Firefly Facts to Wow the Kids
Before closing her computer her eye catches one more article. ‘Fireflies don’t really need help being more interesting — they are bugs that light up! — but the more you learn about them, the more fascinating they become. Here are a few fun facts to wow the family: • Fireflies blink for the same reason that songbirds sing —…
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Tonight they are going to look for lightning bugs
Time moves fast and it’s now Saturday. Tiffi finally gets some text messages that the players need her help. Yippee! It doesn’t take her long to help them and then she heads out to meet those that are going to join her for dinner. She meets up with Jelly Queen, Red Rabbit, Misty and Olivia and they all enjoy a fun dinner…
