Lightning Bugs - WTF!? The Low Down on the Glow Down

[EarlJam]

Okay, this one is from the "I-Could-Look-It-Up-On-Google-But-It-Is-More-Fun-To-Learn-Here-And-Discuss" file:

What, scientifically speaking, causes lightning bug asses to blink? First of all, it's pretty darned amazing that these insects have biological lights in the first place. Even more incredible is that the lights blink in consistent patterns. I mean, damn. It's like some human decided one day to electrically wire a bug with the perfect yellow blinking light.

Also, WHY do they blink? Is it a mating call? Like, "I'm feeling rannnnndy, (blink blink!)?" Do only male lightning bugs have blinking lights? Females?

FordGirl and I were discussing the other day how freakin' funny it would be if it WERE a mating call, and if the samme thing happened to humans....involuntarily. Can you say, "embarrassing!" Example: during an office PowerPoint presentation in a dark room: "And as this chart demonstrates, we witnessed a slight third quarter drop in....oh......well.......SUSAN! Can we get the lights back on please?

-EarlJam

[Miles]

Bioluminescence is pretty cool. I wish I had bioluminescent appendages. Perhaps elbows; then I could activatee them while running at night to alert motorists to my position. Glowing fingertips could come in handy; just point your finger at something in the dark and you could see it. I think a glowing belly button would be pretty awesome too

[CameronBornAndBred]

It's all about mating, and it's really cool to see in huge numbers. You don't appreciate it as much when it's only a few. I was in Indiana camping out in a field one night, and in the distance was the edge of a forest. It was awesome to see literally hundreds of thousands points of light brighten and fade, only to be followed by an equal number but in different spots. Call and response. It was better than a laser show.

[Miles]

It's all about mating, and it's really cool to see in huge numbers. You don't appreciate it as much when it's only a few. I was in Indiana camping out in a field one night, and in the distance was the edge of a forest. It was awesome to see literally hundreds of thousands points of light brighten and fade, only to be followed by an equal number but in different spots. Call and response. It was better than a laser show.

Same thing happened on my camping trip to Cumberland Island. Hundreds on the left side of the trail, then hundreds respond from the right.

[EarlJam]

It's all about mating, and it's really cool to see in huge numbers. You don't appreciate it as much when it's only a few. I was in Indiana camping out in a field one night, and in the distance was the edge of a forest. It was awesome to see literally hundreds of thousands points of light brighten and fade, only to be followed by an equal number but in different spots. Call and response. It was better than a laser show.

Same thing happened on my camping trip to Cumberland Island. Hundreds on the left side of the trail, then hundreds respond from the right.

Cool. When I was a kid and we'd play army, I used to pretend the flashes of lights were gun blasts from soldiers in the forest shooting in our direction. Not exactly a serene, naturesque thought, but true nonetheless.

-EJ

[DukeUsul]

When I was a kid we used to smoosh them and smear the bioluminescent guts on sticks and wave them around like lightsabers.

It's amazing I didn't end up a sociopath.

[bjornolf]

When I was a kid we used to smoosh them and smear the bioluminescent guts on sticks and wave them around like lightsabers.

It's amazing I didn't end up a sociopath.

There's still time!

[CameronBornAndBred]

When I was a kid we used to smoosh them and smear the bioluminescent guts on sticks and wave them around like lightsabers.

It's amazing I didn't end up a sociopath.

There's still time!

[EarlJam]

When I was a kid we used to smoosh them and smear the bioluminescent guts on sticks and wave them around like lightsabers.

It's amazing I didn't end up a sociopath.

-EarlJam

[EarlJam]

When I was a kid we used to smoosh them and smear the bioluminescent guts on sticks and wave them around like lightsabers.

It's amazing I didn't end up a sociopath.

I was Ghandi to lightning bugs, but I was Grim Reaper Extrodinaire to Japanese Beetle bugs.


-EarlJam

[DukeUsul]

FYI, the bioluminescent guts of fireflies have a half-life of about 5 or 6 minutes.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

FYI, the bioluminescent guts of fireflies have a half-life of about 5 or 6 minutes.

Wouldn't that be a post-life half-life? Or maybe an after-life half-life?

[Lavabe]

FYI, the bioluminescent guts of fireflies have a half-life of about 5 or 6 minutes.

Wait a minute... they have radioisotopes that shed particles AND radiation? Half life is the amount of time needed for a decaying substance to decrease by 50%... right? The bioluminescence we're talking about is a chemical reaction, not a radioactive one, right?

Or are you talking about a life of 5 or 6 minutes?

[CathyCA]

I wonder if lightning bugs' tails are made out of Wint-o-Green LifeSavers.

[Lavabe]

I wonder if lightning bugs' tails are made out of Wint-o-Green LifeSavers.

[Miles]

I wonder if lightning bugs' tails are made out of Wint-o-Green LifeSavers.

I wonder if Wint-o-Green LifeSavers are made out of lightning bugs' tails.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I wonder if lightning bugs' tails are made out of Wint-o-Green LifeSavers.

What she said!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I wonder if lightning bugs' tails are made out of Wint-o-Green LifeSavers.

I wonder if Wint-o-Green LifeSavers are made out of lightning bugs' tails.

What he said!

[DukeUsul]

FYI, the bioluminescent guts of fireflies have a half-life of about 5 or 6 minutes.

Wait a minute... they have radioisotopes that shed particles AND radiation? Half life is the amount of time needed for a decaying substance to decrease by 50%... right? The bioluminescence we're talking about is a chemical reaction, not a radioactive one, right?

Or are you talking about a life of 5 or 6 minutes?

No it's not radioactive. I was just being funny.

[knights68]

When I was a kid we used to smoosh them and smear the bioluminescent guts on sticks and wave them around like lightsabers.

As a kid, we used to take the bugs glow and smear it on our arms. Made us illuminate in the dark. That was cool!
As for June Bugs, well, a little string went a long way and them little buggers could fly a long time!