House for fireflies

Oil and acrylic on top quality canvas

size 50 x 50 cm

no frame

Most people don’t care for most insects but there is one bug that might be considered beloved. We call them fireflies or lightning bugs. The Mills Brothers sang, ”Glow little glow worm glimmer, glimmer” and later, when Mac Davis heard the country calling, he sang “catch a lightning bug and put it in a jar.” Recently, the pop group Owl City sang about” 10,000 fireflies”. Not only have these little creatures made it into our music, they are a big part of summertime and childhood memories. Yet, we know surprisingly little about them.

Fireflies are neither flies nor bugs. They are beetles and produce what scientist call a “cold light”. In other words, 100% of the energy is emitted as light without producing heat. Fireflies talk to each other with these light flashes, sometimes to mark territory or warn predators away, but mostly to attract mates. In most species, the male flies while the female waits on the ground in the grass or on trees or shrubs. If she finds an attractive male, she will signal with a flash of her own. Females of the genus Photuris also use their glow to lure unsuspecting Photimus males, which they devour. Fatal attraction!

Fireflies love warm, humid areas and are found on almost every continent on earth. The two chemicals found in their fiery tails called luciferase and luciferin, have been helpful in science and medicine. They have very short life spans, the adult firefly living only long enough to mate and lay eggs.

So, let’s make a point this season to enjoy these beloved bioluminescent beetles because just like those summer nights, they will go flying by.