Light Up The Night!
Is your neighborhood aglow on these summer evenings? Take our quiz to learn more about the over 2,000 species of flashing fireflies across every continent on Earth, except Antarctica!
- 1.
What kind of insect is a firefly, also called a lightning bug?
- A.
A beetle
- B.
A fly
- C.
A "true bug"
- D.
A cockroach
Correct Answer
A. A beetleExplanation
Fireflies are actually beetles! Like other beetles, fireflies have a pair of hardened wing cases, called elytra, that the wings fold underneath. The elytra open for liftoff like gull-wing doors on a car, freeing the wings for flight.Rate this question:
-
- 2.
What do scientists think the purpose of firefly flashing accomplishes?
- A.
Caution lights to avoid accidents
- B.
Attracting a mate
- C.
Morse code to communicate secret messages
- D.
Creating mood lighting for our summer evenings
Correct Answer
B. Attracting a mateExplanation
Fireflies use flashes as mating signals. The flashes that you see in your yard are generally from males looking for females. If a female waiting in the grass or bushes likes what she sees, she responds back with a flash of her own. They will engage in this twinkling “conversation” until the male locates the female and they mate.Rate this question:
-
- 3.
Why have some female Photuris fireflies been called "femme fatales," meaning deadly ladies in French?
- A.
Female Photuris fireflies imitate the flash pattern of other male species, tricking them to come closer so they can EAT them!
- B.
Eating toxic males of other species, Photuris females can transfer that poison to their eggs as a chemical defense.
- C.
Femme fatales sneak onto spider webs to steal fireflies already captured by the spider as their own food.
- D.
ALL of the above!
Correct Answer
D. ALL of the above!Explanation
By mimicking the flash patterns of other firefly species, the female lures unsuspecting males in closer. Preying on the males of other species allows Photuris females to acquire their toxins, called lucibufagins, which the females then deposit into their eggs as a chemical defense.Predatory femme fatales have been caught stealing wrapped fireflies from spider’s webs, a behavior called kleptoparasitism (parasitism by theft). How they identify their incapacitated prey and emerge from the web unscathed remain unanswered questions.Rate this question:
-
- 4.
How do fireflies light up the night?
- A.
Very tiny AAA batteries inside their bodies
- B.
Some species of fireflies don't light up at all
- C.
Enzymes create the glow when combined with internal chemicals, like glow sticks when broken
- D.
All but the first answer
Correct Answer
D. All but the first answerExplanation
Some species of firefly have a unique way of performing their mating signals: they synchronize their flashes. Truly synchronous fireflies are found in Southeast Asia.Rate this question:
-
- 5.
What are the larvae of fireflies called?
- A.
Glow Worms
- B.
Torches
- C.
Mag Lights
- D.
Night Lights
Correct Answer
A. Glow WormsExplanation
The Mills Brothers made the bouncy song "Glow Worm" famous back in 1953, but I'm not sure they were singing about this toxic insect larvae. The name is charming, but there's more to this story. Like all beetles, they undergo complete metamorphosis with four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Firefly larvae are voracious predators of soft-bodied invertebrates. They typically hunt for their prey in moist soil or marshy areas, using their mandibles to inject prey with paralyzing neurotoxins. Once their quarry is immobilized, they secrete digestive enzymes that liquefy the prey before consumption.Rate this question:
-
- 6.
Although fireflies may remain in their larval state as voracious underground predators for up to two years, how long do adult fireflies live?
- A.
One year
- B.
Six months
- C.
Merely a couple of weeks
- D.
They hibernate underground in cold months for years!
Correct Answer
C. Merely a couple of weeksExplanation
Adults may live only a couple of weeks, and most do not eat during this time—they just mate, lay eggs and die. This means that the fireflies you see in your backyard this summer are the result of successful matings from 2017 and they will be the parents of fireflies that you will not see flashing until 2021.Rate this question:
-
- 7.
What environmental factors threaten firefly survival?
- A.
Habitat loss
- B.
Light pollution
- C.
Pesticide use
- D.
All of the above
Correct Answer
D. All of the aboveExplanation
Habitat loss, light pollution, and pesticide use are the top three threats to firefly populations, but other environmental factors, including climate change, put these enchanting insects at risk.Rate this question:
-
- 8.
How can you help fireflies live a full life?
- A.
Reduce your use of outdoor lighting
- B.
Create edge habitat between wooded areas and open grassy spaces
- C.
Limit pesticide use at your home
- D.
All of the above!
Correct Answer
D. All of the above!Explanation
Check out this website to learn what scientists say about threats to firefly populations. Enjoy the glowing results!Rate this question:
-
Quiz Review Timeline +
Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.
-
Current Version
-
Mar 19, 2022Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team -
Jul 10, 2020Quiz Created by
Back to top