10 Fascinating Facts About Fireflies and Lightning Bugs

Fireflies, or lightning bugs, are from the family Coleoptera: Lampyridae and they might be our most beloved insect, inspiring poets and scientists alike.  Fireflies are neither flies nor bugs; they are beetles, and there are 2,000 species on our planet. Here are other interesting facts about fireflies: Flight Like all other beetles, lightning bugs have hardened forewings called elytra, which meet in a straight line down the back when at rest. In-flight, fireflies hold the elytra out for balance, relying on their membranous hindwings for movement. These traits place fireflies squarely in the order Coleoptera. Efficient Light Producers An incandescent light bulb gives off 90% of its energy as heat and only 10% as light, which youd know if youve touched one thats been on for a while. If fireflies produced that much heat when they lit up, they would incinerate themselves. Fireflies produce light through an efficient chemical reaction called chemiluminescence that allows them to glow without wasting heat energy. For fireflies, 100% of the energy goes into making light; accomplishing that flashing increases the firefly metabolic rates an astonishingly low 37% above resting values. Fireflies are bioluminescent, meaning they are living creatures that produce light, a trait shared with a handful of other terrestrial insects, including click beetles and railroad worms. The light is used to attract prey and members of the opposite sex and to warn off predators. Lightning bugs taste bad to birds and other potential predators, so the warning signal is memorable for those that have sampled before. Talk Using Light Signals Fireflies dont put on those spectacular summer displays just to entertain us. Youre eavesdropping on the firefly singles bar. Male fireflies cruising for mates flash a species-specific pattern to announce their availability to receptive females. An interested female will reply, helping the male locate her where shes perched, often on low vegetation. Bioluminescent for Life We dont often see fireflies before they reach adulthood, so you might not know that fireflies glow in all life stages. Bioluminescence begins with the egg and is present throughout the entire life cycle. All firefly eggs, larvae, and pupae known to science can produce light. Some firefly eggs emit a faint glow when disturbed. The flashing part of fireflies is called a lantern, and the firefly controls the flashing with neural stimulation and nitric oxide. The males often synchronize their flashes with one another during courtship, a capacity called entraining (responding to an external rhythm) once thought only possible in humans but now recognized in several animals. Colors of firefly lights range widely among different species, from yellow-green to orange to turquoise to a bright poppy red. Lives Spent Mostly as Larva The firefly begins life as a bioluminescent, spherical egg. At the end of the summer, adult females lay about 100 eggs in soil or near the soil surface. The worm-like larva hatches out in three to four weeks and throughout the fall hunts prey using a hypodermic-like injection strategy similar to that of bees. Larvae spend the winter below ground in several types of earthen chambers. Some species spend more than two winters before pupating in late spring, emerging as adults after 10 days to several weeks. Adult fireflies live only another two months, spending the summer mating and performing for us before laying eggs and dying. Not All Adults Flash Fireflies are known for their blinking light signals, but not all fireflies flash. Some adult fireflies, mostly those in western North America, dont use light signals to communicate. Many people believe that fireflies dont exist west of the Rockies since flashing populations are rarely seen there, but they do. Larvae Feed on Snails Firefly larvae are carnivorous predators, and their favorite food is escargot. Most firefly species inhabit moist, terrestrial environments, where they feed on snails or worms in the soil. A few Asian species use gills to breathe underwater, where they eat aquatic snails and other mollusks. Some species are arboreal, and their larvae hunt tree snails. Some Are Cannibals What adult fireflies eat is largely unknown. Most dont seem to feed at all, while others are believed to eat mites or pollen. We do know that Photuris fireflies eat other fireflies. Photuris females enjoy munching on males of other genera. These Photuris femmes fatales use a trick called aggressive mimicry to find meals. When a male firefly of another genus flashes its light signal, the female Photuris firefly replies with the males flash pattern, suggesting she is a receptive mate of his species. She continues luring him in until hes within her reach. Then her meal begins. Adult female Photuris fireflies are also kleptoparasitic and can be seen feeding on silk-wrapped Photinus species fireflies (occasionally even one of their own kind) hanging in a spiders web. Epic battles can occur between the spider and the firefly. Sometimes the firefly can hold off the spider long enough to consume the silk-wrapped prey, sometimes the spider cuts the web and her losses, and sometimes the spider catches the firefly and the prey and has them both wrapped in silk. Enzyme Used in Medicine Scientists have developed remarkable uses for firefly luciferase, the enzyme that produces bioluminescence in fireflies. It has been used as a marker to detect blood clots, to tag tuberculosis virus cells, and to monitor hydrogen peroxide levels in living organisms. Hydrogen peroxide is believed to play a role in the progression of some diseases, including cancer and diabetes. Scientists now can use a synthetic form of luciferase for most research, so the commercial harvest of fireflies has decreased. Firefly populations are shrinking, and the search for luciferase is just one of the reasons. Development and climate change have reduced firefly habitats, and light pollution depresses the ability for fireflies to find mates and reproduce. Flash Signals Synchronized Imagine thousands of fireflies lighting up at the same time, over and over, from dusk to dark. Simultaneous bioluminescence, as it is called by scientists, occurs in just two places in the world: Southeast Asia and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. North Americas lone synchronous species, Photinus carolinus, puts on its light show annually in late spring. The most spectacular show is said to be the mass synchronous display of several Pteroptyx species in Southeast Asia. Masses of males congregate in groups, called leks, and in unison emit rhythmic courtship flashes. One hot spot for ecotourism is the Selangor River in Malaysia. Lek courting happens occasionally in American fireflies, but not for long periods. In the American Southeast, male members of the blue ghost firefly (Phausis reticulate) glow steadily as they fly slowly over the forest floor searching for females, from about 40 minutes after sunset until midnight. Both sexes emit a long-lasting, nearly continuous glow in the forested regions of Appalachia. Annual tours to see the blue ghosts can be taken at state forests in South and North Carolina between April and July. Sources Buschman, Lawrent L. Biology of the Firefly Pyractomena Lucifera (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). The Florida Entomologist.Larval Biology and Ecology of Photuris Fireflies (Lampyridae: Coleoptera) in Northcentral Florida. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society.Day, John C; Goodall, Tim I.; and Bailey, Mark J.. The Evolution of the Adenylate-Forming Protein Family in Beetles: Multiple Luciferase Gene Paralogues in Fireflies and Glow-Worms. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.De Cock, Rapha, et al. Courtship and Mating in Phausis Reticulata (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Male Flight Behaviors, Female Glow Displays, and Male Attraction to Light Traps. The Florida Entomologist.Faust, Lynn, et al. Thieves in the Night: Kleptoparasitism by Fireflies in the Genus Photuris Dejean (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). The Coleopterists Bulletin.Martin, Gavin J., et al. Total Evidence Phylogeny and the Evolution of Adult Bioluminescence in Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evoluti on.Moosman, Paul R., et al. Do Courtship Flashes of Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Serve as Aposematic Signals to Insectivorous Bats? Animal Behaviour.Wilson, Margaret, and Cook, Peter F. Rhythmic Entrainment: Why Humans Want to, Fireflies Can’t Help It, Pet Birds Try, and Sea Lions Have to Be Bribed. Psychonomic Bulletin Review.

Criminal Justice Kohlberg s Morality Theory Essay

Criminal Justice: Kohlberg’s Morality Theory Introduction Human beings have strived to find ways in which they can enhance their coexistence within the societies where they live. Peace and tranquility are may be rare if structures are not put in place to help control delinquent behaviors that are likely to be shown where different people from various social and cultural backgrounds exist. Crime and delinquency threaten humans’ existence. Certain behaviors are abhorred by various societies because they threaten the lives of humans and contribute to the social disorder. However, this does not mean they do not occur. Murder, for instance, is a criminal behavior that is socially condemned in every society across the globe. The need to control such gross crimes has grown especially with the increasing prevalence as witnessed in most parts of the world. Researchers have gone out to study and understand why humans exhibit certain behaviors particularly those that are criminal in nature and ways in which they can best be controlled. Throug h research, theories have been presented to describe and account for why certain behaviors are shown and how these criminal tendencies can influence human life (Kittay Meyers, 2007). Among the individuals who have been keen in observing human behavior as they relate to their environment is Kohlberg. His interest has particularly revolved around morality. Just as other theorists like Piaget has tried giving an account of human behavior throughShow MoreRelatedJustice and Moral Development925 Words   |  4 PagesThe concept of justice is something that helps to guide most individuals in that they believe in this concept to make a loss better. Many individuals will see law enforcement agencies, especially the officers that work for an agency, to be the tool that will be used to garner their justice. 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(Affleck and Damon, 1997) It will share the results and conclusions about the character of Will Hunting reached by this author, citing the methods and theories used to reach said results and conclusions. The report will provide a brief overview of the character, a cultural description of the character, discuss the characters personality development from each personality theorys point of view and includeRead MoreMoral Development During Adolescence Essay8689 Words   |  35 Pagesissues such as rights and justice was developed. Hence, Moral development during the adolescent years can be defined as the way young people learn to decide what is right and wrong, which in turn forms the basis of their principles of justice(Hart Carlo 2005). Determinants of morality on adolescents have been focused on moral cognitions and socialisation agents, principally parental influences, as contributed by cognitive developmental and moral socialisation theories. Research shows that higherRead MoreWhy Should We Be Ethical? the Relevance of Ethics in Life8703 Words   |  35 Pagesout to not be the best way to live in the Society in the long run, even if it is accepted by small groups (say a whole  family) in the short run. Moral absolutism stands in contrast to consequentialism, a branch of normative ethical theories which holds that the  morality of an act depends on the context or the consequences of the act. Some Ethical decision making factors are * Is it LEGAL? * Does it violate our CODE OF ETHICS? * What does your gut feeling tell you? * How would you feel

Security Issues in the Cloud Computing-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Cloud Computing. Answer: Introduction Cloud computing is one of the most important and widely used system nowadays. This system has helped the organizations to manage their data easily without any confusion (Rittinghouse, Ransome, 2016). Cloud computing is a system that uses a system of servers supported on the internet, which helps the organization to store and manage their data on a single sphere. This system of data storage has made the data storing process in the organization much faster than using local servers (Wei et. al, 2014). This research focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of devising cloud computing in the business. Research question What are the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud computing in business? Research objectives Analyze the advantages of cloud computing Analyze the disadvantages of cloud computing Study the overall impact of cloud computing on business performance Literature review Cloud computing Cloud computing is characterized in todays world as a modern computing infrastructure for tge next generation. With the advent of cloud computing it has helped the users to use the platforms of other cloud users at a very low cost. Whereas, cloud computing is also used in mobile where it is known as mobile cloud computing. This system was introduced to facilitate the increasing demand of mobile users (Dinh et. al., 2013). Mobile computing is recognized as a system in which storage and processing of data takes place outside the mobile device. According to Rittinghouse, Ransome, (2016), cloud computing are of various type n each type has its own meaning and importance. Such vast categories of computing are present due to the wide spread of internet. The various types of cloud computing services such as communication-as-a-service, instant messaging, voice over IP and infrastructure as a service. These cloud computing system is developed by IT professionals. Cloud computing uses federation in its system, which is of four types. There is a compliance standard attach to the process which increases the security of the data even more (Ahmed Hossain (2014). Further Arora, Parashar, Transforming, (2013) has described cloud computing as a system which helps in transforming information. Through this process, the information gets migrated to the cloud and gets stored there. The increasing demand for such system has changed the working environment of the IT professionals in a great way. Cloud computing allows the user to access a lot of pooled files which is stored and secured by a third party with the help of the internet (Arora, Parashar, Transforming, (2013). Figure 1: Cloud computing system Source: (Ahmed Hossain, 2014) Advantages According to Dinh et. al., (2013), cloud computing has helped to reduce the cost of businesses and thus increased their scope of profitability. This is because the cost of mobile application got reduced after the introduction of this system. They got a chance to experience a large variety of services at comparatively low cost. Cloud computing is not only cost effecting but also allow better collaboration. Moreover there are three levels in cloud computing system such as federation, presence and privacy which helps in securing the data of the users (Rittinghouse, Ransome, 2016). Arora, Parashar, Transforming, (2013) has explained that cloud computing has a lot of advantages to the users such as agility, low cost, interdependency, and scalability. Along with these there are other benefits as well that is contributed by this system such as high efficiency in the scheme, easy retrievability of the data and others. These factors have made cloud-computing system a useful system for all the users. Additionally it can be said that cloud computing helps the user to perform complex and massive scale computing task in a much faster way. This system has eliminated the disadvantages caused by traditional systems that was expensive, huge and required a lot of space and software (Hashem et. al, 2015). It is one of the most suitable systems of data storage in this growing world as the volume of data is increasing day by day. The increasing use of social media has also increased the usage f cloud computing system worldwide. (Hashem et. al, (2015), has also pointed out that data has many components such as volume, variety, value and velocity. Cloud computing has managed to allow the data stored in one place by handling all the four factors of big data. This makes it a better storing system than the traditional storage system. Figure 1: four Vs of huge data Source: (Hashem et. al, 2015) Disadvantages Security is the most crucial issue while developing any system, which enables data storage. This is also the case in cloud computing as it helps to store a huge amount of data under one system (Hashem et. al, 2015). However, cloud has received many security problems in recent times. The data stored in the system has been misused by the malicious insiders, which lead to a criticism of this system. Other problems that arise in cloud are segregation, reliability, capacity and others. This puts a negative impact on various types of cloud users such as academic users and enterprises (Arora, Parashar, Transforming, 2013). Ahmed Hossain (2014) is of the view that cloud-computing system has faced many security issues, which are dynamic and vast. Among these, the location of the data is the most crucial security issue. Moreover, transparency of the location is also a threat in this system. Thus, the modern system of data storage has some advantages and comes with certain disadvantages, which needs to be looked. Conclusion From the above analysis it can be deduced that cloud computing is one of the fast growing technology in todays world and has been supported by many users because of the benefits it provides. It has formed a reliable software and hardware that is delivered via internet and data centers. The system offered by cloud has become a widely used process that can easily perform a large scale ask in an easy manner. These facilities offered by the system have motivated a lot of individuals and business enterprises to use cloud computing in their daily task. However, along the advantages the system also comes with certain challenges recently which has put a lot of doubt on the usage of this system. The most important challenge faced is the security issues, which can put back many consumers from using cloud computing to save their crucial business data. Thus, they should work on improving the security matters than is being faced by the system recently to cope up with the challenges. References Ahmed, M., Hossain, M. A. (2014). Cloud computing and security issues in the cloud.International Journal of Network Security Its Applications,6(1), 25. Arora, R., Parashar, A., Transforming, C. C. I. (2013). Secure user data in cloud computing using encryption algorithms.International journal of engineering research and applications,3(4), 1922-1926. Dinh, H. T., Lee, C., Niyato, D., Wang, P. (2013). A survey of mobile cloud computing: architecture, applications, and approaches.Wireless communications and mobile computing,13(18), 1587-1611. Hashem, I. A. T., Yaqoob, I., Anuar, N. B., Mokhtar, S., Gani, A., Khan, S. U. (2015). The rise of big data on cloud computing: Review and open research issues.Information Systems,47, 98-115. Rittinghouse, J. W., Ransome, J. F. (2016).Cloud computing: implementation, management, and security. CRC press. Wei, L., Zhu, H., Cao, Z., Dong, X., Jia, W., Chen, Y., Vasilakos, A. V. (2014). Security and privacy for storage and computation in cloud computing.Information Sciences,258, 371-386.