Know About The Light Of A Firefly?

How mystifying is the light of a firefly? There is hardly an exception to this. Children love to catch then and put it into bottles. They also hold them in their hands while the little creature flash on and off. The scientists too are mystified by its light. They feel gravely mystified because there are many things about the firefly which remain unexplained.

The light of firefly is very much like other light – except that it is produced without heat. This light is of “Luminescence” type. Luminescence is produced in the firefly by a substance called “Luciferin”. This combines with oxygen and light is produced.

This reaction is dependent on the presence of another sub-stance called “Luciferase”. Luciferase act like a catalyst. This helps the reaction to take place but is not a part of it. Alternatively, we explain, that the fireflies have luciferin and luciferase in their bodies. The luciferase enables the luciferin to burn up and produce light.

This kind of light can be produced by the scientist in laboratory. The ingredients have to be obtained from firefly. Chemists are not in a position to produce them synthetically_ This is the extent of nature’s secret.

The purpose of this firefly light is to possibly help in locating their mates. Another purpose appears to warn the night-feeding birds so that they will avoid the fireflies.

Analytically, the purpose of these lights is not understood by the scientists. The above mentioned reasons do not as a matter of fact convince much. The light may be by-product of some other chemical process going on in the body of firefly. A light happens to be produced, but it is not a vital process. Most of us feel happy, I am sure, only in the pleasure of seeing these little insects as they move about at night and sprinkle glow.