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Since ancient times， fireflies have been one of human’s most beautiful memories of summer night， serving as a symbol of this season. Reading An Autumn Night written by Du Mu， a poet of Tang Dynasty， we can see the romantic scene of starry night with moon in summer. These “star lights” are lightened by fireflies， twinkling with elegant dancing.
However， nowadays， we can only appreciate this scene in grasses and riversides with great ecological environment. It has become an luxury to enjoy the beauty of “She uses silken fan to catch passing fireflies.” So， where do these summer starry elves hide？ How would they spend their life？ Why they shine in the way of burning their life？
Secret of glowing
Using fluorescein， luciferase， oxygen， and ATP （adenosine triphosphate） within the specialized light organ in its abdomen， firefly emits light via biochemical reactions. Fluorescein is a heat resistant substrate， serving as a light source of firefly. Luciferase acts as a trigger and catalyst. Oxygen is an oxidant. With ATP， fluorescein and luciferase as a complex combination， these summer elves emit light via oxidation.
October of the current year Spawning time
In nature， after mating， adult female firefly prefers to choose grass， waterside bryophytes or wet ground to lay eggs， each 50 to 100 eggs， pale yellow， emitting a faint light at night.
The beginning of June the next year 2nd instar larva
Having experienced molt， 1st instar larva will become 2nd instar one. In this period， it can be clearly seen that it has 3 sections in its chest， abdomen in 8 sections and 6 slender eggs.
April-May the second year 1st instar larva
After a long winter， from mid-April the next year， enter the incubation period （about 2 weeks）， and the peak period in May. First hatched larvae are milky white， the 1st instar larvae， followed by the body color gradually deepened.
July the next year 3rd instar larva
After molt， 2nd instar larva becomes the 3rd one. Pectoralis larva love to eat bradybaena similaris and bradybenaravida， while some other types of firefly larva live on a diet of earthworms， snails， small insects （such as ants， termites）.
Mid-August to Mid-September of the next year 4th instar larva
After molt， 3rd instar larva will be the 4th one. At this time， long larva period of firefly comes to an end.
October of the next year Adult
2 to 3 days after being an adult after eclosion， fireflies will climb out of the soil seeking mates. Male fireflies die soon after mating whereas female ones die after laying eggs. So next time you see fireflies seeking soul mates with “starry light” in a summer night， please leave a sweet serenity for them. The beginning of October the next year Pupa
In this period， some pectoralis larvae start to become pupas （commonly 2 weeks）， before which they dig holes in soil to make a pupa chamber， entering pupa time after molt， without eating or moving until being adult after eclosion.
An Autumn Night Du Mu
The painted screen is chilled in silver candlelight，
She uses silken fan to catch passing fireflies.
The steps seem steeped in water when cold grows the night，
She lies watching heart-broken stars shed tears in the skies.
Biennial firefly
Both food and environment have impact on the life cycle of firefly， which will accelerate in a suitable environment with rich food. Life cycle of most types of fireflies is about one year. For those of relatively large size， such as golden lychnuris， lampyrigera， etc.， the life cycle can be up to 2 years whereas doomfly， which has high requirements on environment and with limited choice in food， also can live for 2 years.
“Shinny” life
Belonging to lampyridae and celophthalmia， firefly will experience 4 periods including egg， larva， pupa and adult， making it a holometabola. Among the 4， the larva period is the longest， occupying more than 80% of its life cycle. It can glow in every period. The following is a biography of firefly taking annual pectoralis for an example.
（Editor in charge： Li Yinhui）
However， nowadays， we can only appreciate this scene in grasses and riversides with great ecological environment. It has become an luxury to enjoy the beauty of “She uses silken fan to catch passing fireflies.” So， where do these summer starry elves hide？ How would they spend their life？ Why they shine in the way of burning their life？
Secret of glowing
Using fluorescein， luciferase， oxygen， and ATP （adenosine triphosphate） within the specialized light organ in its abdomen， firefly emits light via biochemical reactions. Fluorescein is a heat resistant substrate， serving as a light source of firefly. Luciferase acts as a trigger and catalyst. Oxygen is an oxidant. With ATP， fluorescein and luciferase as a complex combination， these summer elves emit light via oxidation.
October of the current year Spawning time
In nature， after mating， adult female firefly prefers to choose grass， waterside bryophytes or wet ground to lay eggs， each 50 to 100 eggs， pale yellow， emitting a faint light at night.
The beginning of June the next year 2nd instar larva
Having experienced molt， 1st instar larva will become 2nd instar one. In this period， it can be clearly seen that it has 3 sections in its chest， abdomen in 8 sections and 6 slender eggs.
April-May the second year 1st instar larva
After a long winter， from mid-April the next year， enter the incubation period （about 2 weeks）， and the peak period in May. First hatched larvae are milky white， the 1st instar larvae， followed by the body color gradually deepened.
July the next year 3rd instar larva
After molt， 2nd instar larva becomes the 3rd one. Pectoralis larva love to eat bradybaena similaris and bradybenaravida， while some other types of firefly larva live on a diet of earthworms， snails， small insects （such as ants， termites）.
Mid-August to Mid-September of the next year 4th instar larva
After molt， 3rd instar larva will be the 4th one. At this time， long larva period of firefly comes to an end.
October of the next year Adult
2 to 3 days after being an adult after eclosion， fireflies will climb out of the soil seeking mates. Male fireflies die soon after mating whereas female ones die after laying eggs. So next time you see fireflies seeking soul mates with “starry light” in a summer night， please leave a sweet serenity for them. The beginning of October the next year Pupa
In this period， some pectoralis larvae start to become pupas （commonly 2 weeks）， before which they dig holes in soil to make a pupa chamber， entering pupa time after molt， without eating or moving until being adult after eclosion.
An Autumn Night Du Mu
The painted screen is chilled in silver candlelight，
She uses silken fan to catch passing fireflies.
The steps seem steeped in water when cold grows the night，
She lies watching heart-broken stars shed tears in the skies.
Biennial firefly
Both food and environment have impact on the life cycle of firefly， which will accelerate in a suitable environment with rich food. Life cycle of most types of fireflies is about one year. For those of relatively large size， such as golden lychnuris， lampyrigera， etc.， the life cycle can be up to 2 years whereas doomfly， which has high requirements on environment and with limited choice in food， also can live for 2 years.
“Shinny” life
Belonging to lampyridae and celophthalmia， firefly will experience 4 periods including egg， larva， pupa and adult， making it a holometabola. Among the 4， the larva period is the longest， occupying more than 80% of its life cycle. It can glow in every period. The following is a biography of firefly taking annual pectoralis for an example.
（Editor in charge： Li Yinhui）