What makes fireflies light up like that? what do they eat?

Answer 1

What they eat has nothing to do of how they glow, it's biolumenesence, when the cells absorb heat and light and later release it using special chemicals.

Answer 2

In short, they light up via bioluminescence.

The light emitted by fireflies is unique. Nearly 100 percent of the energy is given off as light; in an electric arc light, only 10 percent of the energy is light and the other 90 percent is given off as heat. The taillight contains two rare chemicals, luciferin and luciferase. Luciferin, a heat resistant substrate, is the source of light; luciferase, an enzyme, is the trigger; and oxygen is the fuel. A body chemical, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), converts to energy and causes the luciferin-luciferase mixture to light up. Small internal injections of ATP in the firefly tail cause flashes of light that can be measured quantitatively. As all living cells contain ATP in a rather constant concentration, injection of the firefly's chemicals quickly detects energy problems in human cells (different reaction between normal and cancerous cells). The firefly technique is used to study heart disease, muscular dystrophy, urology, antibiotic testing, waste water treatment, environmental protection and diagnosis of hypothermia in swine-a condition costing the pork industry $200 to $300 million each year. Special electronic detectors, using firefly chemicals, have been placed in spacecrafts to look for earth-life forms in outer space. When as little as one quadrillionth of a gram of ATP enters the rocket's detector, a flash of cold light is given off and the signal is recorded by scientists on earth. Other detectors warn that milk, food or water may be bacteria contaminated.

Most adult fireflies do not eat. It is the firefly larvae which eat, consuming the nourishment they need for their rapid growth. The larvae which, depending on the species, may live under water, underground, or amongst the debris on the ground feed mainly on snails. Land living larvae are also known to eat slugs and earthworms.

The few adult fireflies which do eat are believed to feed upon plant pollen, with the exception of some female fireflies. These fireflies use their lights to mimic and attract the adult fireflies of a different species. Lying in wait, the female continues to signal to a male. When the male arrives to mate the female pounces upon and devours him.

Answer 3

Fireflies (family Lampyridae), also known as lightning bugs, are nocturnal, luminous beetles. These names come from the fact that some species as adults emit flashes of light to attract mates in order to reproduce, using special light-emitting organs in the abdomen. The enzyme luciferase acts on the substrate luciferin to stimulate light emission.

The larvae of most species are specialized predators and feed on other larvae, terrestrial snails, and slugs. The diet of adults is not entirely clear. It has been reported that some are predatory and some feed on plant pollen or nectar.

Answer 4

They don't really eat anything to light up. Instead, their bodys manufacture protiens that provide light. The enzyme Luciferase oxydises the chemical Luciferin in order to create light. This is called bioluminescence.

Answer 5

It's not about what they eat, it's a special chemical in their bodies.

Answer 6

go to http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/basics/firefly/

Answer 7

http://www.plumcreekmarketing.com/articles/16firefly.html

Answer 8

sugar water...in a cotton ball i think

Answer 9

cause there fart lights on fire so then they glow but eventually die