Fireflies are insects that stand out from the rest for their characteristic glow that makes them shine even more when night falls. They then fly around their habitat with great momentum from one side to the other with their bodies lit in bright colors. A visual poetry worth observing that loses us in the mysticism of nature. Although once the impact caused by its great beauty is recovered, curiosity begins to arise; why do fireflies shine?
Fireflies
Fireflies are thought of as a world apart from known insect species, although this is not entirely true. In reality, fireflies are a species of beetle, although of course they are night owls and have the great peculiarity of generating light with their tiny bodies. They belong to the lampyrid family, which includes other equally bioluminescent insects such as glowworms, cocuyos and other species.
There are around two thousand total species of fireflies in the world, although many of them are in danger of extinction. They live in warm and temperate regions, and they love humidity, which is why they can be found in swampy areas of the American and Asian continents.
For years, various efforts have been made to protect fireflies that are currently in danger of extinction. They face a triple threat that has put their existence at risk. The loss of their natural habitat, combined with the use of artificial light created by man, is destroying these beautiful insects.
Why do fireflies glow?
This question has been asked by dozens of natural researchers and they have managed to decipher the components that make them fluoresce with such vigor. An explosive, albeit tiny, box of various components that generate chemical reactions lives inside the abdomen of fireflies. Oxygen, calcium, magnesium and a natural chemical called the enzyme luciferase come together inside the bodies of these small insects and allow them to shine on the light.
Although the exact process by which fireflies are able to produce light has been in doubt. Previously, it was thought that the luciferase enzyme produced bioluminescence in fireflies by catalyzing the oxidation of the protein called luciferin, a fluorescent molecule that emits light when oxidized.
Apples and oranges
New research suggests that the process may not be that simple. Bruce Branchini of Connecticut College has a new idea of how fireflies’ light is generated. The process is quite complex, but he offers a simple version to understand it quickly. According to Branchini, apples tend to produce chemical reactions only with other apples. And oranges react chemically with only other oranges.
Following the analogy, luciferin and oxygen would be like apples and oranges, so it cannot be explained so simply that the luciferin protein reacts to oxygen to achieve oxidation. Branchini’s experiments, however, suggest that the oxygen inside the abdomen of fireflies has a special form called superoxide anion. This is a form of oxygen that contains an extra electron and it is this extra electron that gives oxygen apple and orange properties, explained metaphorically.
Only in this way could the chemical reaction that takes place inside fireflies and why they glow in the dark be explained. A characteristic that, by the way, is essential in the reproductive life of fireflies, thanks to the synchronized glow and the dance they perform in the dark, is that they are capable of finding a partner to reproduce and guarantee their survival. Hence, artificial light is a danger that interferes with its bioluminescent language and endangers its existence.