Firefly Magic® Firefly Lights have
been recognized for their contribution to firefly
research in The American Naturalist, a leading
scientific journal published for the American
Society of Naturalist by the University of Chicago
Press,.
 While
fireflies are fun to watch as they flash, flicker,
and fade on a warm summer's evening, they are also
the focus of scientific research. Fireflies also
know as lightning bugs, are one of a small number
of species that create their own bioluminescence.
Learning more about how and why these tiny creatures
flash signals to each other is the subject of ongoing
scientific research, and Firefly Magic® Firefly
Lights are there to help.
The scientific paper title, "Energy and
Predation Costs of Firefly Courtship Signals" published
in Volume 170, Number 5 of The American Naturalist,
was authored by William A. Woods Jr., Holly Hendrickson,
Jennifer Mason, and Sara M. Lewis, Professor,
Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford,
Massachusetts.
The subject of this research study was animal
courtship signals, specifically a comprehensive
assessment of signal (flashing) cost for Photinus
fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), using controlled
experiments to measure both the energy and predation
costs associated with their bioluminescent courtship
signals.
To successfully conduct the research, Dr. Lewis
required reliable artificial fireflies that would
exactly mimic the flash patterns of the Photinus
Greeni firefly. Dr. Lewis contacted Stephen
 Taylor, inventor of Firefly Magic® Firefly
lights, and patent holder on the methodology of
using microprocessors to recreate accurate firefly
flash patterns. Her objective was to obtain a device
that would correctly reproduce the unusual flash
pattern of the Photinus Greeni.
Taylor designed and built the units described
by the researchers in the study as follows: "We
used battery-powered microprocessors to drive 565nm
LEDs (Lampyridae
Lures, Firefly Magic, Apple Valley, CA) that were
programmed to accurately simulate the typical mating
signals produced by P. greeni males (paired
100-ms pulses separated by a 1,200-ms interpulse
interval).
At the end of the Study, the following acknowledgement
was listed: "We thank S. Taylor at Firefly
Magic (http://www.fireflymagic.com) for providing
us with Lampyridae Lures . . ."
In recognition of the importance of Firefly research,
Stephen Taylor and Firefly Magic® donated both
the development time and research firefly lures
to Tufts University.
SPECIALTY LIGHTING
FOR SPECIAL RESULT
"Capturing
Childhood Memories"
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Kimberley Roberts
877-834-7335
http://www.FireflyMagic.com
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