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How crafty and deadly codebreakers complicate the business of firefly love
Lampyridae, commonly known as fireflies, are a family of some 2,100 distinct types of insects known for their blinking bioluminescence at twilight. Most of the time, their lights are displayed to find mates. However, firefly love can quickly become a battlefield if a female of the genus Photuris becomes involved. As this video from the science and nature documentary series Deep Look demonstrates, these eastern US fireflies mimic the light shows of the mate-seeking females around them, luring nearby males before pouncing and devouring. Read more about this video at KQED Science.
Video by KQED Science and PBS Digital Studios
Producer and Writer: Elliott Kennerson
Narrator and Writer: Lauren Sommer
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