What do fireflies eat? You may not want to know.

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I think it is cool that some of them have a heart shape lamp. But wait, there’s more…

You probably know that fireflies use light to signal each other in a mating ritual. But they also practice nuptial gifting.

Also, we find among fireflies mimicry. Cannibalistic mimicry, to parasitize other species’ nuptial gifts of a rare chemical cocktail. And that’s the simple version of the story:

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I was fascinated when I read the chapter ‘A Garden Enclosed’ in Richard Dawkin’s book, ‘Climbing Mount Improbable’. Here is a quote from a review:

The essay “A Garden Enclosed” might have brought a tear to the eye of E.O. Wilson, biology’s greatest exponent of biodiversity. Dawkins takes us through the life cycles of the figs and their wasp pollinators. The beauty of this essay is almost staggering both in his superb presentation and in the implications it raises. Wasps inhabit the interior of figs, drawing on them for nourishment and residence, but pollinating them with almost human dedication. Dawkins’ description of the complex interaction between plant and insect raises again the issue of how little we know about life’s interactions. And how much we’re intruding on them in our ignorance.

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Dawkin’s next book ‘Unweaving the Rainbow’ is also a must read.

I enjoyed that , thanks Greg.

Greg Laden's Blog

What do fireflies eat? You may not want to know.

Have you read the breakthrough novel of the year? When you are done with that, try:

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2 thoughts on “What do fireflies eat? You may not want to know.”

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