Dear Bruce
bRUCE sMITH wrote:
Could you please elaborate? How do fireflies help control slugs?
Thanks very much.
Kevin Chisholm
The fire fly is not a fly but a beetle which has a larval or grub stage
like a lady bug.
The larva are terrestial, living in the cover of the grass and coming out
at night to feed.
they are insectivores and one of their favorite things to eat are slugs
and snails.
As the lady bug larvas favorite food is aphis.
Smitty
On Mon, 29 May 2000 10:58:32 -0300 Kevin Chisholm
writes:
I asked God for all things so that I could enjoy life.
He gave me life so I could enjoy all things.
Hello to all,
I thought you might the following excerpt of interest:
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Firefly Larvae are predaceous and have been observed feeding
mostly on earthworms, snails and slugs. Larvae can detect a snail or
slug slime trail, and follow it to the prey. After locating their future
meal,
they inject an anesthetic type substance through hollow ducts in the
firefly's mandibles into their prey in order to immobilize and eventually
digest it. Multiple larvae have also been observed attacking large prey
items, such as large earthworms. Other observations suggest larvae
sometimes scavenge dead snails, worms and similar organic matter.
Adult Fireflies also have mouth parts suggestive of predation (long
sickle-shaped mandibles). Although it is widely known that fireflies of a
few species mimic the mates of other species in order to attract and
devour them, observations of adults feeding on other prey items are
practically non-existent. It is likely however, that adults might feed on
plant nectar in order to sustain their energy requirements in the adult
stage, which can last several months or longer).
http://iris.biosci.ohio-state.edu/projects/FFiles/frfact.html
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I am wondering if Bruce or anyone else has actually observed fireflies or
their larva in the act of eating a slug in their garden. How many of you
have observed firefly larva in your garden ?
Ground beetles are common in no-till agricultural systems that have a
significant litter layer. They are much less common in conventional
tillage systems. Some are omnivourous
and eat small seeds as well as insects. See the following web site for an
overview of groundbeetles:
http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/kyf304.html
Has anyone ever used a pitfall trap to survey what arthropods are
scurrying along the soil surface in their garden ?
Joel
Joel Gruver
Visiting Faculty
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois 62028
(618) 374 - 5289
jgruver@principia.edu
Dear Bruce
Thanks very much indeed!! Would you (or anyone else) know what
conditions support the growth of Fireflies? Do they have any "downside?"
Thanks very much
Kevin Chisholm
bRUCE sMITH wrote:
