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feeding lightningbugs / fireflys OK?

  • Thread starter patrock
  • Start date
Just wondering if the chemicals that light there butts up are harmful to CP's?
The 2 substances that do the magic are
Luciferin C11H8N2O3S2
Adenosine triphosphate C10H16N5O13P3

Thanks Patrock
 
Not sure, But I've heard that they are toxic to many animals....not sure about plants though.
 
I've seen the remains of the little buggers in my VFTs. They're still doing just fine, seems like a bug is a bug!
 
you make adenosine triphosphate sound like a bad thing. biology 101 crash course: remember ATP? Adenosine TriPhosphate? the stuff that fuels all cellular metabolism? if anything that should give your plant a HUGE boost.
 
you make adenosine triphosphate sound like a bad thing. biology 101 crash course: remember ATP? Adenosine TriPhosphate? the stuff that fuels all cellular metabolism? if anything that should give your plant a HUGE boost.

What's even worse is the DiHydrogen Monoxide in their butts. That stuff kills millions of people and plants a year!

Though the only experience I have with fireflies and cps is that after I put one in a vft the whole plant died back. Don't know if that's why, but it did.
 
could have been because the insect was too huge?
 
biology 101 crash course: remember ATP? Adenosine TriPhosphate? the stuff that fuels all cellular metabolism? if anything that should give your plant a HUGE boost.
^^^ This is what I was thinking.^^^ judging primarily by the compound's makeup (ie; carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus, and oxygen), it sounded like plant rocket fuel:0o:
I did feed one to one of my VFT's minus the butt and it "chewed" on it for about 4 days and opened back up, but that was a butt-less firefly. sounds like this may be worthy of an experiment:scratch:
 
^^^ This is what I was thinking.^^^ judging primarily by the compound's makeup (ie; carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus, and oxygen), it sounded like plant rocket fuel:0o:
I did feed one to one of my VFT's minus the butt and it "chewed" on it for about 4 days and opened back up, but that was a butt-less firefly. sounds like this may be worthy of an experiment:scratch:

You chopped off the butt before hand? Yeesh!
 
You chopped off the butt before hand? Yeesh!
Yup, sure did. you don't think that makes me weird or sadistic or anything, does it MUUHHAAHHH:-))
 
  • #10
there was a big discussion on this a year or two ago here, and it seems that it was a pretty drawn discussion between yes and no, i wouldnt advise feeding them to flytraps, but i dont see why something like a sarra or nep couldnt handle it...
 
  • #11
What's even worse is the DiHydrogen Monoxide in their butts. That stuff kills millions of people and plants a year!

Though the only experience I have with fireflies and cps is that after I put one in a vft the whole plant died back. Don't know if that's why, but it did.

Yeah, one of my plants died from an H2O overdose a while ago.
 
  • #12
What makes fireflies glow is a substance called luciferin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luciferin".
It is not oxidized using hydrogen peroxide as someone suggested but a biological agent called luciferase. It should not be harmful to plants any more than feeding it regular bugs.
 
  • #13
When I was a kid, I read that feeding lighting bugs to toads and frogs would cause them to glow in the dark. Of course I had to give it a try. I used to feed my garden variety toads lighting bugs by the dozen, and it never seemed to cause the toads any problems. If it didn't hurt my amphibians, I doubt it would hurt your plants. Of course its possible that toads, being nocturnal, would develop a way to deal with any toxins they might get from firefly du jour, but I would think that plants that must catch at least a few lightning bugs upon occasion, must also have some defenses.
 
  • #14
I don't know about plants but I have read in numerous books and websites that you're not supposed to feed them to lizards or carnivorous insects.
 
  • #15
Of course its possible that toads, being nocturnal, would develop a way to deal with any toxins they might get from firefly du jour, but I would think that plants that must catch at least a few lightning bugs upon occasion, must also have some defenses.
Good point. Evolution can do some interesting things and create some incredible relationships between two or more organisms (Palythoa caribaeorum contain a highly toxic palytoxin, believed to be produced by a bacteria that live in symbiosis with the polyps offering the two an amount of protection from predation, not coincidentally, Abudefduf saxatilis can consume the coral polyps containing the palytoxin on a regular basis, presumably to store the toxin as a defense/deterrent of there own. Link ). Humm seems I have wandered slightly off topic.

Thinking out loud here, so please correct me if I make any incorrect assumptions... VFT’s don’t “close up” at night and are always ready for a good meal (AKA stupid bug), be it from seeking out the vft’s sweet nectar, or just dumb luck as a bug wanders in to it. I would suspect the lighting bug would be a victim of the latter, as at night they are more concerned with things other then sweet nectar (from the VFT, that is). That being said, I would assume they would be(come) able to deal with the occasional non target food source due to the natural selection process of evolution. I guess I won’t make a habit of feeding them to the VFT’s till I have some more solid facts.
I will see if I can get 4 or so of say maybe 3 varieties (via tissue culture) as well as more controlled conditions, then set up a plan to test the theory.

Ooh, a new Variety “glow in the dark lightning bug butt yellow” :crazy:
 
  • #16
Reading this the only thing I could think about is a Nep with all it pitchers filled with lighting bugs
&
The pitchers looking like a bunch of lit up lanterns hanging on the plant

Would make for a cool pic
 
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