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Control of glowing of Lampyris noctiluca in the field (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)
Author(s) -
Dreisig Hans
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1971.tb02183.x
Subject(s) - biology , lampyridae , population , zoology , period (music) , demography , firefly protocol , physics , sociology , acoustics
The start of glowing in Lampyris noctiluca females is related to a particular low level of illumination. The intensity to which individuals respond vary widely but on the average 50% of the population has started to glow at 10.14 log lux + 10 (1.4 lux). The average period of glowing is dependent on the number of males present because the females stop glowing when they have mated. The activity of the males occurs during the first part of the active period of the females, so if many males are present the period of the females is short and if few are present the period is long. The activity of the males, and therefore indirectly that of the females, is dependent on physical factors in the environment especially temperature and wind.