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&nbsp;Lucidota,&nbsp;Phosphaenus,</i> and&nb
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Chris et al - interestingly to further add to Chris ' info below there was
another study in which female fireflies from another genus would mimic the
"flash pattern " of a female of another genus that would be trying to
attract a suitor/mate and that female imitator would then predate on the
unsuspecting male of that species. Maybe the male would have to flash S-O-S
so to speak .
Cheers , DB
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of Christopher Majka
Sent: July-15-08 9:42 AM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Fireflies
Hi folks,
Those who are following this thread may be interested in some further
information on fireflies. Twelve species have been recorded in Nova Scotia
(and a thirteenth probably occurs) in the genera Pyractomena, Photinus,
Ellychnica, Pyropyga, Lucidota, Phosphaenus, and Photuris. One of these,
Phosphaenus hemipterus (Fourcroy), is a flightless introduced European
species originally recorded in Yarmouth over 50 years ago and not reported
since. Enterprising NatureNS readers in the Yarmouth area could do a service
to Nova Scotia entomology be looking for flightless fireflies in the
Yarmouth area. If you see one, by all means collect it! Photographs of it
are available at:
http://www.entomologie.de/fotos/phoshemi.htm
In general, if you see and can capture a firefly or two from your area we
would love to add them to our collection to better gauge the distribution of
these fascinating insects in the province. Species such as Pyractomena
linearis, Phosphaenus hemipterus , Photinus aquilonius, and Photuris
fairchildi have only been recorded from a handfull of localities in the
province, and counties such as Inverness, Cape Breton, Victoria, Richmond,
Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, and Hants all have records of fewer than five
species species.
If you are particularly enterprising, of great value would be a record of
the flashing pattern of the fireflies you capture (a stopwatch timing the
repeating dot-dash pattern will do the trick). For genera such as Photuris,
it is often only through flashing patterns that species may be
distinguished. In the USA a pioneering DNA study is beginning, analyzing the
DNA of several thousand voucher specimens for which flash-pattern
information is available. James E. Lloyd (the author of the Lampyrid chapter
in "American Beetles") says (amongst many other fascinating things):
"Male flash patterns show considerable variation among species, and
sometimes a range of distinct patterns within species. Several flash
patterns consist of single flashes or groups of short flashes of various
timing characteristics; these are repeated at fairly regular but temperature
dependent (advertising) intervals. Other variations in species-typical flash
patterns include intensity modulations within single pulses of light,
resulting in flickers, crescendos, and bimodal twinkles."
In general males (in the luminescent "lightningbug-firefly" group) flash
while flying in order to attract the attention of females who are usually on
the ground (indeed in some species the females are flightless with reduced
wings and elytra, even verging towards being larviform). Females then
respond, initiating a change in behaviour (i.e. approach and land) and
flashing patterns in the male.
Flashing patterns are, however, used by some fireflies for many other
purposes. They will flash on takeoff and landing to provide illumination for
themselves to see what they are doing. Some flashing patterns are aposematic
(i.e. warning patterns). James Lloyd working with the genus Photuris has
recorded up to 21 varieties of flashing patterns with "meanings" such as:
a) caught in spider web;
b) walking through grass;
c) grasped by wolf spider
Clearly a fascinating "language" to try and decode!
All the best,
Chris
On 15-Jul-08, at 9:12 AM, Mary Macaulay wrote:
We have lovely fireflies up at our fen at Angevine Lake Cumberland County.
the first ones that come out (they emerged about a month ago) were flying
and flashing very high up in the trees. About two weeks ago another lot
emerged floating about at ground level and slighly above.
M
_____
From: roland.mccormick@ns.sympatico.ca
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Fireflies
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:14:01 -0300
Fireflies?
Sixty years ago in Bear River we had hundreds, if not thousands of
them on the marshes at the head of the tide. Those same marshes were full of
peepers, and you could hear them from far away. I have often wished I could
go back to that country early in the spring and see if any where still there
- I doubt they would be that plentiful now.
Roland.
----- Original Message -----
From: Christopher Majka <mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 4:38 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Fireflies
Hi John,
On 13-Jul-08, at 1:46 PM, John Sollows wrote:
When I was but a youngster (let's say, up till about 1970) fireflies in the
summer were commonplace, here in the Yarmouth area. It has been years since
I have seen one.
Well, one was flashing in the grass about ten days ago here on the Wyman
Road, and I have heard another report from a youngster who was wondering
what he had seen.
This summer is foggier than many in recent years; I am calling it a "'60's
summer."
Hmm ... I wonder if our fireflies like high humidity.
In my experience fireflies do like humid conditions. Many species live near
cattail marshes or in low wet pastures. In Nova Scotia we have three species
in the genus Pyractomena that specialize in feeding on snails, and three
species in the genus Photinus, that specialize in feeding on earthworms. I
would suppose that moist conditions favour both snails and earthworms, and
hence of these firefly larvae that feed on them.
Cheers!
Chris
Christopher Majka
Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6
c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
_____
Christopher Majka
Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6
c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
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