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A Porch Moment That Sparked A Career
- Sara Lewis first saw fireflies on a back porch before a thunderstorm in North Carolina and describes them as "silent sparks" rising from the grass.
- That moment sparked her curiosity and ultimately shifted her research path toward fireflies.
Flash Patterns Signal Nuptial Gifts
- Male flash traits correlate with reproductive investment: longer or more conspicuous flashes often signal larger nuptial gifts.
- Females prefer males with signals indicating bigger nutrient packages that will help provision eggs.
Western Fireflies Are Real And Diverse
- Flashing fireflies exist in the western U.S., but many species are non-flashing daytime or glowworm types.
- Recent citizen-science projects have revealed previously unrecognized western flashing populations.