Why do glowworms glow? How do glowworms glow?

The luminescence of fireflies, in simple terms, is fluorescein.

a complex series of biochemical reactions that occur under catalysis; Light is the energy released in this process. Because different species of fireflies emit light in different ways, isolation is naturally formed between species. The vast majority of firefly species are males with luminaires, while females have no luminaires or are less developed.

Although most of the fireflies in our impression are males with two luminous devices and females with one luminous instrument, this situation only occurs in the genus Luminous and Pulsed-winged Luminous in the subfamily Luminaceae. Because like Taiwanese window fireflies, both male and female have two luminous devices, and the biggest difference between the two is that the female is short-winged, while the male is long-winged.

Fireflies will emit light because of its physiological structure, the end of the abdomen is filled with phosphorus-containing luminescent matter and luminescent enzymes, which interact with oxygen, so it will make the part of the firefly abdomen emit a faint bright light, flashing and flashing, different varieties of fireflies emit different frequencies, brightness, methods, colors, etc. The bright light emitted by fireflies also has an effect on their own survival, can send signals, and can be used for courtship, vigilance, trapping, etc.

At night, fireflies can be seen twinkling and flying, due to the light produced by a chemical called insect luciferase in the firefly's body that interacts with oxygen. The chemical, called insect luciferase, initiates this reaction like a switch, and when the fireflies produce insect luciferase, the reaction begins, and the fireflies emit flashes of light.

Fireflies emit light because they have luminescent apparatus at the end of their abdomen, which are filled with phosphorus-containing luminescent matter and light-emitting enzymes.

In addition to lighting, fireflies also have courtship, vigilance, trapping and other purposes, which is also a tool for their communication.

Different species of fireflies emit light in different ways, frequencies and colors, conveying different messages.

Fireflies emit light, depending on two factors, one is the organ that emits light and the other is the action of the light. Fireflies emit light because they have a special group of cells in their bodies, light-emitting cells. In light-emitting cells, there are two main substances:

Luciferin and luciferase. The two are indispensable because there is no enzyme catalysis.

Fireflies emit light, that's because there is a bright spot on the firefly, it's bright, so it will glow when it flies out at night, and it's because the firefly itself has a bright thing in its body, so it will glow.

The light-emitting organs of fireflies are located below the posterior end of the abdomen, where there are light-emitting cells. There are many tiny trachea around the light-emitting cells, and there is luciferin and luciferase in the light-emitting cells. Fluorescein is activated upon receiving the energy provided by ATP.

The physiological structure of the firefly is very undifferent, and the end of its abdomen is filled with many phosphorus-containing luminescent substances and luminescent enzymes, which will emit a faint light on the part of the firefly's abdomen. The bright light emitted by fireflies is mainly to send signals, and fireflies are used in this way for courtship, vigilance, and trapping in rolling stoves.

The light emitted by glowworms is yellow-green fluorescence. Fluorescence produces almost no heat, which is its most distinctive feature from daylight. Since most of the energy is converted into light energy, and only a small part is converted into heat energy, fluorescence produces almost no heat, and the light of fireflies is called cold light.

Firefly light:

Fireflies have phosphide luminescent matter in them, which can emit yellow-green cold light through the action of luminescent enzymes; Females often lack wings. The adult lifespan is generally only 5 days to 2 weeks, and the luminescence is used to attract the opposite sex, and the luminescence time is generally only maintained for 2 to 3 hours, and the interval between different flashes is different. Both adults and larvae are predatory, and generally occur near water and in warm and humid places.

Flashing yellow-green fluorescence, 7-8 segments visible on the abdomen, 2 segments (male) or 1 segment (female) at the end, with phosphide luminescence inside, which can be luminescent by the action of luminescent enzymes.

The shape and size of the luminaire are usually the basis for the identification of firefly species, and the morphology of different firefly luminaires varies greatly. The male glow emitter is generally 2 segments, and the female glow emitter is 1 3 segments, with a large difference;

For example, the male firefly of aquatic fireflies has 2 luminaires, the 1st luminaire is located in the 5th abdominal segment and is ribbon-shaped, the 2nd luminaire is located in the 6th abdominal segment and is in a "V" shape, and the female firefly has only 1 luminaire, ribbon-shaped, located in the 5th abdominal segment.

Glowworms do not heat up when they emit light. The light of the glowworm is a kind of cold light, the yellowing comma of this animal is in the abdomen, the light source is a chemical substance from the body, although it is relatively bright, but there is no heat, and it does not produce a magnetic field, it belongs to a kind of cold light.

The cold light emitted by fireflies not only has a high luminous efficiency, but is also very soft, which is very suitable for human eyes.

Fireflies emit light through a chemical reaction produced in the body, which is bioluminescence, and the most well-known example of bioluminescence is probably firefly luminescence.

Firefly larvae emit light briefly, mainly at night, and many species of firefly larvae live underground or semi-aquatic, although these larvae still have the same luminescent properties.

Adult fireflies will flash in a pattern unique to their kind, allowing them to recognize members of their own species and discern members of the opposite sex.

Another point is that all fireflies emit light, and some species of firefly adults don't emit light at all, they rely on other ways to find mates.

Fireflies are also known as luminous and sedum, this kind of insect is an insect that can glow at the tail, there are about 2,000 species, and there are several kinds of black fireflies, red fireflies, window chest fireflies and so on.

1.The luminescence principle of fireflies is due to the presence of a phosphorus-containing luminescent substance and a catalytic enzyme in the part of its luminous device. Fireflies will have some pores on the luminaire, and after the air is introduced into the pores, the luminescent matter will be oxidized by the catalyst of enzymes and oxygen.

And then through this mechanism, the light is emitted.

Fireflies emit light through this action. The light emitted in this way is called cold light because most of the energy is converted into light energy, and only a small part is converted into heat energy. Because the conversion of luminous quality and light energy is quite efficient, fireflies can emit light for a long time.

And the fireflies themselves can also be controlled into not performing such an effect to control the hair does not emit light.

2.And the structure of the luminaire also makes the glow of the fireflies brighter. The glowing apparatus of a firefly is made up of several layers of cells. There are light-emitting cells under **, and reflective cells under light-emitting cells, which can reflect the light emitted by light-emitting cells to make the light appear brighter.

The fluorescence of fireflies is produced by the reaction of fluorescein and luciferase in their bodies. The researchers found that the isoleucine residue in luciferase firmly grasped the fluorescein-producing luminaire, oxidized luciferin, causing fireflies to fluoresce yellow-green. They also compared the difference in the stereostructure of luciferase when fireflies emit yellow-green light and red light.

The results showed that the isoleucine residues and oxidized fluorescein were bound quite tightly when yellow-green light was emitted, while the two were relatively loosely bound when reddish light was emitted.

In early summer, the flickering yellow-green fluorescence is a tool for fireflies to communicate with each other, and under some special conditions, fireflies will emit orange or red light. Japanese scientists have discovered the three-dimensional structure of enzymes closely related to firefly luminescence, and then revealed the determining mechanism of fluorescence color.

3.Animals will react when they are frightened, and fireflies will naturally turn off the light to prevent predators from discovering themselves after receiving a fright, so not emitting light in your hands can be interpreted as being scared by you.

When I was a child, we often saw flickering lights on the side of the road and in the grass on summer evenings, and these lights were emitted by fireflies, so why do fireflies glow?

Why do fireflies emit light? Star Awareness Project

Inside the luminous apparatus of fireflies there is a light-emitting cell, and inside the light-emitting cells there is a scale-containing chemical called luciferin. When luciferin is catalyzed by luciferase and consumes ATP and reacts with oxygen, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in the production of light.

The bright light emitted by fireflies is not only for lighting, but mainly for signaling, and the signal emitted by each purpose is different. Different species of fireflies emit different frequencies, brightness, ways and colors of light, and most of the fireflies we usually come into contact with are yellow-yellow or green-green glowing. It can be said that this is the language of fireflies, just like the sos** of humans, such as courtship, vigilance, trapping, and communication with their own kind, all of which are communicated in this way.

In the luminous part of the firefly, there is a phosphorus-containing luminescent substance and a catalytic enzyme. There are some pores on their luminaires, and when air enters through the pores, the luminescent matter will oxidize with oxygen through the catalysis of enzymes, and then it will emit light.