I learnt some interesting facts about fireflies in Singapore:
there are more than 10 species and they can be found in several habitats, such as mangroves, secondary forests etc
of this, there are at least 5 new species not recorded
more than 1 species can occur in a single habitat
usually they are higher in diversity but low in numbers or higher in numbers but low in diversity in these habitats
the fireflies here do not blink in synchrony or unison unlike those found elsewhere
the males have 2 lanterns while the female have only 1 lantern on their underside of the abdomen nearer the tail end
their life cycle is up to about 6 months (longer than butterflies!) and they go through the same stages as butterflies e.g. eggs, larvae, pupae, adults, and the adult stage is only about a month or two
the carnivorous larvae feeds on snails whilst the adults feed on plant nectar and pollen
the larvae are found more inlands in pools of water whereas the adults are found nearer the coast
the light emission serves as a warning against predators not to feed on them because they are distasteful or contain toxins but it is also evolved for mating purposes
This is a huge lesson and I have a profound respect for such small creatures. Links on fireflies are shown below:
I learnt some interesting facts about fireflies in Singapore: