As soon as decorations start going up, and lights start twinkling, you know Christmas is right around the corner. Our Western Exterminator pest control specialists enjoy the holiday season with a special smile because it makes us think of amazing bugs that light up all over the world.
Fatally Flirtatious Fireflies
These beautiful bugs dance through the cool night air like tiny fairies. You probably chased them as a child and still delight at the sight of twinkling fireflies. As it turns out, their lights actually serve a purpose. Male fireflies entice potential partners with coded, flashing signals, and ironically, female fireflies often return the illuminated messages to lure males as meals instead of mates.
Bright Headlight Eleators
These bugs look like they have Christmas ornaments for eyes, and they turn on those bright lights when humans get too close. What appears to be glowing eye sockets are actually bioluminescent organs on the top of the eleators’ heads. These beetles don’t flash like fireflies but can control output intensity in order to scare off predators. They fly through the night leaving brilliant streaks of blue and green in their path, but it’s unlikely we’ll see them here – these fliers prefer tropical climates.
Curtain-Hanging Glowworms
The tinsel glittering on your tree doesn’t hold a candle to the luminous curtains that glowworms drape from cave ceilings. These tiny insects are a type of fungus gnat, and they thrive in dark caverns throughout New Zealand and Australia. The match-stick sized bugs spin strands dangling from rocky ceilings and hang out on their lines by the thousands. We pity the insect prey that can’t resist a radiant blue glow in the dark. If you’re spelunking in the down-under and spot unearthly drapes of glowworms, turn off the flashlight. Otherwise, they’ll immediately shut down their show.
Not every pest is brown, boring and determined to raid your kitchen. From flashy scorpions to shimmering cockroaches, the list of bioluminescent bugs lights up imaginations year-round. When you encounter insects that don’t inspire your admiration, give our Western Exterminator exterminators a call for effective solutions to bug problems. Our lights are on, and we’re always here for you.
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