caterpillar
2 Answers
country bumpkin
Like many other insects, fireflies reach adulthood by metamorphosis. The adults lay eggs on or under the ground in the spring, and the larvae hatch within 2-4 weeks. The larvae feed on snails, slugs, and cutworms by injecting digestive enzymes into the prey and slurping it up once it liquefies. The larvae continue to feed until fall, when they burrow underground for the winter. They emerge the following spring, eat until summer, pupate for roughly two weeks, and then emerge as adults.
Depending on the species, the larvae may overwinter for two or three seasons before metamorphosing into adults. The adult diet varies depending on the species. It may have the predatory habits of the larvae; but some species feed only on pollen and nectar. Some do not eat at all, because they live for only a few days, just long enough to mate and lay eggs.
The firefly is beneficial ecologically. Gardeners value fireflies, because the larvae and adults of some species eat so many snails, slugs, and cutworms. Could they also be indicators of environmental changes? Perhaps research might find a correlation between decreases in their population with habitat loss or the use of pesticides.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_do_lightning_bugs_go_in_the_winter
Where Have All The Fireflies Gone? read here> http://www.sciencebuzz.org/blog/where-have-all-fireflies-gone
| 12 years ago. Rating: 7 | |
Vinny
