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October 15, 2007 -- Fireflies' Flash May Make Them Meals
When it comes to courtship, females do favor flashier males. Just take a look at the peacock and his brilliant come-hither tailfeathers. And when it comes to fireflies, females are drawn to males whose flash is rapid and strong. But if the gals like bigger brighter displays, what keeps males from evolving a light show as luminous as a guy in a convertible with a dozen gold chains around his neck? Well, it turns out that male fireflies that are too obvious are more likely to get eaten. Or so say scientists at Tufts University, in the November issue of American Naturalist.
To determine why fireflies don’t go all out when it comes to illumination, the Tufts team set out to uncover the hidden costs of producing light. They found that flashing doesn’t put much of a strain on a firefly’s energy reserves. So it’s not that they’re trying to avoid burn-out—they’re trying to avoid becoming take-out. Because bugs who flash too fast tend to attract more than the light-of-their-lives. They attract predatory fireflies looking for a snack. And, sad to say, their last thoughts probably are something like, “Look at me! Look at me! Look at me! [CHOMP] Look at…”
