Conclusion
Eating habits
Firefly larvae also differ greatly in their eating habits. Since fireflies spend most of their lives in this stage of development, understanding the larvae’s eating habits is helpful to understand their relationship to the larger environment.
The wormy creatures feed in one of two ways—by eating decomposing bodies or by hunting live prey.
The Luciola anceyi Olivier, Luciola cerata Olivier and Luciola gorhami Ritsema, for example, consume the carcasses of arthropods and mollusks. As scavengers, they are nature’s recyclers, transforming spent bodies into new life. Other firefly species are less content to eat what they find, preferring instead to pick their dinner from among the living.
Species such as Pyrocoelia praetexta Olivier, Luciola ficta Olivier and Lamprigera yunnana Fairmaire, for example, attack ants, earthworms, shellfish, snails and other small arthropods by injecting them with a sort of digestive liquid that anesthetizes victims. Once the prey is immobile,the firefly larvae go to work with their jawbones until the carcass is consumed.
By the time a firefly reaches adulthood, it leaves behind these carnivorous eating habits. In fact, the illuminating fliers consume a few droplets of dew or nibble on the pollen of flowers. Since they have lost their taste for flesh by adulthood, fireflies are commonly perceived as “human friendly.”
Humans threaten firefly habitats
While fireflies might be friendly to humans, however, humans are encroaching on the habitats of the insects with harmful results.
The environmental conditions for fireflies, especially aquatic species, are deteriorating. The development of waterways, the draining of wetlands and the shrinking of terraced farms have left fireflies with few places to lay their eggs.
The aquatic species are, in fact, easier to cultivate in conservation projects, and it is quite possible to create the proper environments for breeding. Farmers might be encouraged to include fireflies in their eco-recreational farms, which are increasingly common in the Philippines.
In general, humans are threatening the firefly’s habitat. River pollution (often caused by factory waste), the use of pesticides and the development of once-wild lands have resulted in fewer fireflies.
Repelled by artificial light
Perhaps the most curious point of conflict between humans and fireflies is light. While people are often enchanted by the illuminated insects, the bugs are repelled by the artificial light created by humans. As cities and towns grow, therefore, fireflies move farther away to avoid the ambient light.
Scholars are still looking into the reasons for this curious phenomenon and trying to better understand the firefly’s world.
No one is doing academic research on the firefly in the Philippines.
Although the search for new species and the investigation into the firefly’s realm goes on like “looking for a lantern in the dark,” the discovery of unidentified species, as well as the wonder of these light-emitting creatures make it all worthwhile.
Protecting the habitats
There is a need to protect the habitats of the firefly. There is the suggestion for the adoption of ecological engineering methods for public works projects, such as channeling rivers and clearing mountain trails.
Fireflies help draw people to the Philippines’ primitive forests and stimulate interest in the outdoors in general.
Indeed, some feel that the survival of the firefly is a good litmus test for overall environmental conditions. If we can successfully save fireflies, that means we have protected the living environment of mankind, as well.
But if we fail to protect our environment, thus causing the gradual extinction of some creatures such as fireflies, we may eventually suffer the same fate.
Education campaign
Education is key to the success of conserving nature. By launching educational campaigns, we hope to inform the public of the necessity of environmental protection and how they can contribute.
Fireflies have always had a way of casting a spell on humans, in part because they appear in the early evening just after the dinner, when the day fades into night. They float like night spirits amid the darkness, rekindling a sense of wonder.
Hopefully, the fireflies will always illuminate our evening skies with their enchanting beauty.
Bengwayan has a masters degree and PhD in Development Studies and Environmental Resource Management from University College Dublin, Ireland, as a European Union fellow. He writes for the British Gemini News Service, New York’s Earth Times and the Environmental News Service. He is currently a fellow of Echoing Green Foundation in New York.