In what season do fireflies generally appear?
Fireflies are the general name for insects of the family Lampyridae, also known as liangliangchong, huoyanchong, yehuochong and so on, named because their tails can emit fluorescence. There are about nearly 2000 species worldwide, which can be divided into two types: aquatic and terrestrial. The more common ones in China include the black firefly, the hime-red firefly, the window-breast firefly and several others. Now let us take a look at what season fireflies are around!
In what season are fireflies around?
Fireflies usuallyin summerappear by rivers, ponds and farmland, and their range of activity does not leave clean water sources. Depending on the species, the activity times of adults also differ; among both daytime and nighttime there are diurnal and nocturnal species. For nocturnal species, the times they appear range from 18:00 to 3:00-4:00 in the early morning. Generally speaking, most species begin activity after sunset, and most stop activity at 20:00-21:00 in the evening.
How long do fireflies live?
Fireflies are holometabolous insects, and their life goes through 4 stages: egg → larva → pupa → adult. Aquatic fireflies usually complete 1 generation in 4 months, with 2 generations per year. Terrestrial fireflies, however, complete only 1 generation per year. The larvae go through 6 molts from hatching from the egg to pupation. The pupal period varies by species and can last more than 40 days at the longest. The outdoor lifespan of adults is generally 3-7 days, but some live as long as 20-30 days.
What food do fireflies eat?
The larvae of aquatic fireflies eat snails, shellfish and small aquatic animals, completing the hunting process in the water, then dragging their prey to the shore to enjoy it slowly. The larvae of terrestrial fireflies feed on snails and clams, and some species prey on maggots and small animals such as insects. After feeding once, they can survive for several days or even 1 month without eating. Most adult species only drink water or eat pollen and nectar, or rely on fat stored during the larval stage.