Light Pollution and The Sad Story of The Firefly
The little known story of the dwindling populations of firefly
The diversity of life on earth does not fail to amaze anyone. This stunning biodiversity gives life to the ecosystems around the world. A large number of animals and plants call rainforests their home. Many find their abode in savannas and water bodies. Besides, few live in the harsh climatic conditions of Antarctica and blistering deserts.
Biodiversity
The word diversity does not mean a large quantity of something. Instead, it signifies the state of variety and diversity. For instance, in North America, the majestic firefly has an estimated 170 plus species. Besides, scientists have listed 2000 plus species of fireflies worldwide. [1]
You are not alone!
Now hold the reigns of your thoughts! Do you think that why mother nature is so superfluous? You are not alone nor guilty, my dear! You have at least millions around stuck in the same puzzle.
In North America, the majestic firefly has an estimated 170 plus species. Besides, scientists have listed 2000 plus species of fireflies worldwide[1]
Ecosystem and the biodiversity
An ecosystem is a geographical piece of land or body of water. The living and non living things play their role to make it a bubble of life. Living things include animals, birds, fish, plants and other life forms. The non-living things are soil, rocks, water and air. Biodiversity nurtures this bubble of life and maintains the health of an ecosystem. An ecosystem has five hierarchal stages; species, population, community, ecosystem and biosphere. There is no big-league or small fry in this hierarchal system. If you drop one block, the whole building of the ecosystem crashes down. The species is an integral step of the hierarchal ladder of an ecosystem. Thus the health of a species is crucial for the stability of an ecosystem. The diverseness of species indicates the health of an ecosystem. This is the primary reason why Mother Nature is not superfluous. She is rather very generous in bestowing her favors. I hope this wordy preamble might have helped you understand the essential terminologies.
Ecosystem and the diversity of pollution
Now lets realize this paradox. The diverse the species are, the diversity of pollution they face. We, humans, are grown quite apt at producing new varieties of pollution. Pollution is the by product of our competition for raising standards and quality of life. Unfortunately, we draw similarities with the anecdotal fool, Kalidas, of the Indian folklore. This pathetic fool axed the very branch of the tree on which he sat. There are three types of pollution; soil pollution, water pollution and air pollution. These we could not avoid and we are conscious about their being around. But indeed, we have more than a dozen in the marketplace of which we are unconscious and in utter oblivion. Some of the common types are:
- Noise pollution
- Plastic pollution
- Littering
- Visual pollution
- Light pollution
- Miscellaneous pollutions
This diversity of pollution poses a direct threat to the health of species. Once the health of a species declines, it devastates the health of the ecosystem. I want to present a case study on the adverse effects of light pollution on the population of fireflies.
Pollution is the by product of our competition for raising standards and quality of life. Unfortunately, we draw similarities with the anecdotal fool, Kalidas, of the Indian folklore. This pathetic fool axed the very branch of the tree on which he sat.
Crazy lightings and light pollution
You might be wondering what the hell light pollution is! Does the delightful light qualify as pollution! Oh my god! Nowadays we have these environmental maniacs or uncivilized cave men! They consider every innovative thing an environmental heresy. Indeed, and there is no need to wonder a lot. Everything that advances the modern civilization has an environmental price tag on it. And we are paying for it in one way or the other. So long story short, light pollution is excessive artificial light. It is a form of waste energy that can cause adverse effects and degrade environmental quality.[2]
light pollution is excessive artificial light. It is a form of waste energy that can cause adverse effects and degrade environmental quality.
Everything that advances the modern civilization has an environmental price tag on it. And we are paying for it in one way or the other.
TITBITWhen an earthquake hit Los Angeles in 1994 knocking out power to
the entire city, many anxious residents called 911 to report seeing a strange “giant, silvery cloud” in the dark night sky. What they really saw — for the first time — was the Milky Way, long obliterated by the urban sky glow and light pollution.[3]
Some facts about fireflies
Fire flies
If you have ever lived in the country side, or might have visited one, or traveled in the dark of wilderness. You would have observed tiny starlets blinking here and there. Their stunning appearances and disappearances like phantoms are majestic. These heavenly flocks of glowing jewels are fireflies
Why does a firefly glow?
Why does a firefly glow? While reading an article in Scientific American, I found the answer to this question. The firefly miraculously hosts a reaction within its body to make itself glow. This phenomenon of lighting up in living things is called bioluminescence[4].
- The primary reason fireflies light up at night is that male fireflies seek a female partner for mating purposes.
- Fireflies are nocturnal insects, so they feed and hunt during the night.
TITBIT
To create their glowing plants, the MIT team turned to luciferase, the enzyme that gives fireflies their glow. Luciferase acts on a molecule called luciferin, causing it to emit light. Another molecule called co-enzyme A helps the process along by removing a reaction byproduct that can inhibit luciferase activity.[5]Light, the language of communication
Have you ever heard or read about strange ways of communicating. Once I read about some tribal people communicating with each other through whistles. Now think about how much type of whistles they might be using for thousands of expressions. So is the case with these mystics of flies, they communicate in the language of light. They use these flashings for various purposes.
1. Driving away predators
2. To attract potential mates
3. To claim territory
4. To perform other nocturnal endeavors
Myths
Cultures around the world associate myths with fireflies. Some say they are harbingers of hope and guidance. The Japanese associate them with the ghosts of their famous warriors. The eastern poets regard them as guides for the nightingales who stray away in the night. Scientists reject them as superstitions and have their own irrefutable findings to present.
How light pollution is thrashing global population of fireflies
Stories of species going extinct and endangered are daily reads. I hate to read these stories as we are axing our own feet. Habitat loss is the primary cause of species extinction. Have you ever wondered why these species are going extinct and who are the culprits? None other than human activities are responsible for this calamity. In the case of fireflies, excessive outdoor lighting is one of the major culprits.
In the case of fireflies, light pollution is one of the major causes for their dwindling populations.
LIGHT POLLUTION THREATHENS REPRODUCTION
Most species of fireflies need a 4–6 week mating time span. Fireflies are nocturnal insects, so they spend much of their time at night. Their mating ritual kick-off daily in the evening throughout the mating season. Summer nights provide a heavenly stage for their silent and cool fireworks.
Male fireflies flirt around lighting up their abdomens to impress the choosy females. The undergrowth provides seats for the females to observe the flirting males. The female firefly responds with a glowing of its own when impressed by a certain male. This flirting festival or mating ritual gives birth to a new generation of fireflies. This divine ritual of cool fireworks continues to mesmerize its audience every summer.
But artificial lighting at night (ALANs) have made the night sky brighter and full of glare. Even in the country side the magnificence and splendor of the starry nights are a rare novelty. The floodlights of LED’s have run havoc on the nocturnal life style of fireflies. The mating can only take place in a pitch dark environment. ALANs have a higher luminosity that out do the bioluminescence of fireflies. The female fireflies are not able to see the males glowing in brighter environments. Thus, they are not able to respond and mating processes fail to occur. In fact, light pollution has endangered the survival of these remarkable beings.
Fireflies are nocturnal insects, so they spend much of their time at night. Their mating ritual kick-off daily in the evening throughout the mating season. Summer nights provide a heavenly stage for their silent and cool fireworks.
In fact, light pollution has endangered the survival of these remarkable beings.
A research study, Narrow-spectrum artificial light silences female fireflies, published in 2021 in the journal of Insect Conservation and Diversity states the following outcomes of light pollution;
- The nocturnal biodiversity has been significantly troubled by the floodlighting of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN).
- The excessiveness of artificial illumination have interposed in the effectiveness of transmitting light signal for the necessary biological processes like reproduction and avoidance of predators.
- The courtship rituals are adversely affected by the excessiveness of artificial lighting.
Light Pollution and Blindness
Visibility is vital for the mating ritual of fireflies. Visibility is optimal when the night is darker. The background of darkness allows the glowing of fireflies to be more visible to each other. Otherwise, flirting display loses significance in shallow darkness. Thus. ALANs is detrimental to the survival of fireflies. Since this display of flirting fails to progress, the mating process fails to occur. This relative blindness of females leads to low reproduction rates. In consequence, the population of this majestic insect is nose-diving towards its extinction.
Thus. ALANs is detrimental to the survival of fireflies.
What we can do to save these majestic jewels of the night
We are the one who invaded the habitats of fireflies. So, we have the obligation and responsibility to conserve these jewels of the night.
Mitigation of ALANs [7]
- Say no to decorative lightings as they are just for cosmetic purposes.
- Turn out all the unnecessary outdoor lights because darkness is ideal for fireflies.
- Use motion activators. They automatically turn the lights off when no one is around.
- Use timers during the summer months. They automatically turn out the unnecessary lights.
- Lower the intensity of lights to the lowest acceptable level.
- Apply red gel filters so that the lights may not interfere with the bioluminescence of fireflies.
- Prevent light escaping into the sky, shrubbery, trees and walking alleys by installing shields around them.
Jewels of the night
The devils we have grown,
In the souls of our own,
Let them be banished away,
To the vaults and dungeons far away.
Pray! Oh nightingale! Come to your abode
My love! With your body and soul
For the dark nights are no more evil
In the guidance of the glowing jewel
"Jewels of the night" The author's, Ijaz Ali Khan, own composition; a poem dedicated to the glory of firefly)
References
- J. Costin, Kevin & Boulton, April. (2016). A Field Experiment on the Effect of Introduced Light Pollution on Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) in the Piedmont Region of Maryland. The Coleopterists Bulletin. 70. 84–86. 10.1649/072.070.0110.https://www.firefly.org/light-pollution.html
- Nathanson, Jerry A.. “light pollution”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Sep. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/science/light-pollution. Accessed 28 December 2021.
- https://www.firefly.org/light-pollution.html
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-and-why-do-fireflies/
- https://news.mit.edu/2017/engineers-create-nanobionic-plants-that-glow-1213
- Picchi, Malayka Samantha & Avolio, Lerina & Azzani, Laura & Brombin, Orietta & Camerini, Giuseppe. (2013). Fireflies and land use in an urban landscape: The case of Luciola italica L. (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) in the city of Turin. Journal of Insect Conservation. 17. . 10.1007/s10841–013–9562-z.
- Lloyd, J. E. 2000. On research and entomological education IV: quantifying mate search in a perfect insect-seeking true facts and insight (Coleoptera: Lampyridae, Photinus). Florida Entomologist 83: 211–228. Crossref
- Lloyd, J. E. 2006. Stray light, fireflies, and fireflyers [pp. 345–364]. In: Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting ( C. Rich and T. Longcore , editors). Island Press, Washington, DC.
- Narrow-spectrum artificial light silences female fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)Avalon C.S. Owens,Sara M. Lewis.First published: 16 March 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12487
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/icad.12487 - https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/19055_Firefly_Friendly_Lighting_FS_web.pdf
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