Name: The loves and lies of fireflies
Uploaded: 2014-07-01T14:56:20Z
Duration: 13 min 38 s
Description: Biologist Sara Lewis has spent the past 20 years getting to the bottom of the magic and wonder of fireflies. In this charming talk, she tells us how and why the beetles produce their silent sparks, what happens when two fireflies have sex, and why one group of females is known as the firefly vampire. (It's not pretty.) Find out more astonishing facts about fireflies in Lewis' footnotes, below.

Biologist Sara Lewis has spent the past 20 years getting to the bottom of the magic and wonder of fireflies. In this charming talk, she tells us how and why the beetles produce their silent sparks, what happens when two fireflies have sex, and why one group of females is known as the firefly vampire. (It's not pretty.) Find out more astonishing facts about fireflies in Lewis' footnotes, below.

Sara Lewis: The loves and lies of fireflies

The loves and lies of fireflies

Fireflies' enchanting lights are not just for beauty; they're intricate signals for mating, rooted in evolution's dance.

The 'wedding gifts' of fireflies, rich in proteins, reveal a complex courtship ritual where light signals predict reproductive success.

Fireflies' bioluminescence, a marvel of evolution, serves as a mating call and a predator warning, illuminating nature's ingenuity.