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Learning the Secrets of Fireflies
Learning the Secrets of Fireflies
In June, we observed fireflies at a special place near our school called
Firefly Village. We watched the beautiful blinking light of the firefly's
tail. It was like watching a shining star.
@
But there were a lot of questions we wanted to ask. So we asked our local
firefly specialist, Mr. Sazuku Fujioka. He was able to answer all of our
questions with easy to understand explanations.
E"Why do fireflies light up?"
`"Their yellow glow is a product of their protein intake and is used
as a form of communication. This section of their bodies which lights up
is usually about half of a firefly's total weight."
E"What do the fireflies do during the day?"
`"The spend their days in the bushes. They still glow during the daytime,
but in the light, you can hardly see their glow."
E"Now (July) what are the fireflies doing?"
`"Now they are laying eggs. Just one firefly produces about 500 eggs."
E"Where do they lay their eggs?"
`"On the undersides of leaves. They remain eggs for about 10 days.
Then, with the help of a rainy day, they become larva and then they head
towards the flowing river."
@E"What do fireflies eat?"
`"They eat a small shelled insect called kohina. Please come
and take a look often."
E"Do fireflies sleep?"
`"Just like everyone else, fireflies sleep. Around 9 o'clock, their
glow fades and they go to sleep."
E"How many varieties of fireflies are there?"
`"In Japan, there are about 11 different varieties. The variety called
Genji Firefly is a variety that is found only in Japan.
Here at Firefly Village, the fireflies carefully lay their eggs across the
bushes, so we are careful not to cut them. Please come again next June to
see the many fireflies that are sure to hatch.
Next time, I'll teach you about larvae, so please come when you can."
Our observations
---We saw some fireflies and learned many things.
---Fireflies really live an interesting life!
---We were suprised that they communicate with their lit tails.
---We look forward to seeing and learning more about the firefly eggs
and larva.
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