One firefly mystery solved, another needs your help

ff_scienceforcitizens_leafRecently, my pal at Live Science.com, Dave Brody, produced this video news piece about the results of a fascinating experiment involving fireflies.

Scientists at the University of Connecticut have discovered that males in a common species of fireflies synchronize their flashing patterns to attract females. In dense fields or woods, the mass, synchronized flashing patterns make it easier for females to spot and recognize this mating call. Females then mimic the pattern back to the males to signal an interest in mating.

“There have been lots of really good observations and hypotheses about firefly synchrony,” Andrew Moiseff of the University of Connecticut, lead author of the study, told Life’s Little Mysteries. “But until now, no one has experimentally tested whether synchrony has a function.”

Over at the Boston Museum of Science, researchers are calling on you to help them solve the mystery of the Photinus pyralis  (the j-shaped flasher) to understand why they seem to be increasingly attracted to urban street lights. Join their Firefly Watch and combine scientific research with an annual summer evening ritual!

Categories: Citizen Science, Insects, Nature & Outdoors

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About the Author

Darlene Cavalier

Darlene Cavalier

Darlene Cavalier is a professor of practice at Arizona State University's School for the Future of Innovation in Society and a Senior Global Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at ASU. Professor Cavalier is the founder of SciStarter (a popular citizen science portal and research platform connecting millions of people to real science they can do), founder of Science Cheerleaders (a non profit organization comprised of current and former NFL, NBA and college cheerleaders pursuing STEM careers), cofounder of ECAST: Expert and Citizen Assessment of Science and Technology and cofounder of ScienceNearMe.org. She is a founding board member of the Citizen Science Association, an advisor and Fellow at National Geographic, a member of the EPA's National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology, appointed to the National Academy of Sciences "Designing Citizen Science to Support Science Learning" committee and named cochair of America 250's Innovation, Science, and Entrepreneurism Advisory Council. She is the co-editor of "The Rightful Place of Science: Citizen Science," author of "The Science of Cheerleading," and co-author of the Field Guide to Citizen Science (Timber Press). Recently, ASU President Michael Crow awarded Cavalier and her team the prestigious Medal for Social Embeddedness.