Firefly study   2004 observations

2004novrain.jpg (49859 bytes)
The study this year has started from the earliest sightings.

Rough count of aerial sightings in one hectare of forest area at an elevation of 714 metres, through which a swampy creek runs and includes a clearing of
approximately 1100 sq.m.in area.
Rainfall figures provided are BoM standard 9am to 9am registrations.
This year we have started the study early to catch the primary emergence that was missed in 2003 due to a late commencement of the study.

Rainfall prior to this study in October total 244mm (av=125mm)
                                          November total to date 258mm (av=167mm)    

date fireflies time wind weather temp moon
notes
11-11-2004 1 19:30 nil overcast 19º C  
12-11-2004 1 19:30 nil clear 20º C  
13-11-2004 4 19:30 20kph NW clear 22º C new_moon.jpg (777 bytes)
14-11-2004 3 19:30 nil clear 18º C  
15-11-2004 3 19:30 nil overcast 19º C  
16-11-2004 4 19:30 nil overcast 20º C  
17-11-2004 12 19:30 nil rain 1.6mm 19º C  
18-11-2004 14 19:30 nil rain 36.0mm 19º C  
19-11-2004 21 19:30 nil overcast 19º C first_quarter.jpg (903 bytes)
20-11-2004 7 19:30 20kph SE overcast 17º C  
21-11-2004 17 19:30 5kph SE rain 15.0mm 17º C  
22-11-2004 5 19:30 40kph SE rain 9.6mm 15º C  
23-11-2004 0 19:30 20kph SE overcast 13º C 1
24-11-2004 14 19:30 10kph SE cloud/clearing 15º C 2
25-11-2004 0 19:30 5kph SE rain 1.4mm 12º C  
26-11-2004 0 19:30 nil rain 6.0mm 13º C full_moon.jpg (774 bytes)
27-11-2004 1 19:30 nil clear 15º C  
28-11-2004 30 19:30 nil clear 18º C  
29-11-2004 31 19:30 nil clear 22º C  
30-11-2004 50 19:30 nil clear 24º C 3
01-12-2004 9 19:30 nil clear 25º C  
02-12-2004 60 19:30 10kph SE overcast 24º C 4
03-12-2004 3 19:30 25kph SE overcast 18º C 5
04-12-2004 1 19:30 5kph SE rain 2.0mm 16º C  
05-12-2004 0 19:30 5kph SE rain 4.4mm 15º C last_quarter.jpg (789 bytes)
06-12-2004 0 19:30 15kph SE rain 32.4mm 15º C  
07-12-2004 12 19:30 5kph NE rain 74.0mm 17º C 6
08-12-2004 3 19:30 10kph NE rain 127.0mm 18º C  
09-12-2004 3 19:30 10kph NE rain 26.0mm 17º C  
10-12-2004 0 19:30 5kph NE rain 40.0mm 18º C  
11-12-2004 10 19:30 nil overcast 22º C  
12-12-2004 16 19:30 nil overcast 23º C new_moon.jpg (777 bytes)7
13-12-2004 1 19:30 10kph SE storm 3.4mm 22º C  
14-12-2004 0 19:30 5kph NW clear 26º C  
15-12-2004 5 19:30 10kph NW rain 2.0mm 19º C  
16-12-2004 0 19:30 nil rain 4.0mm 18º C  
17-12-2004 2 19:30 nil rain 0.4mm 19º C  
18-12-2004 0 19:30 nil rain 0.6mm 19º C first_quarter.jpg (903 bytes)
19-12-2004 0 19:30 nil clear 21º C  
20-12-2004 0 19:30 10kph SE rain 5.0mm 19º C  
21-12-2004 0 19:30 nil overcast 19º C SUN.JPG (1038 bytes) Summer
Solstice
22-12-2004 0 19:30 nil overcast 20º C  
23-12-2004 0 19:30 5kph N overcast 22º C  
24-12-2004 0 19:30 5kph NE overcast 19º C  
25-12-2004 0 19:30 20kph SE storm 13mm 18º C  
26-12-2004 0 19:30 nil overcast 19º C full_moon.jpg (774 bytes)9
27-12-2004 0 19:30 60kph SE storm 19mm 18º C  
28-12-2004 0 19:30 5kph SE clear 16º C  
30-12-2004 0 19:30 20kph NW clear 15º C  
31-12-2004 0 19:30 10kph NW clear 17º C  
01-01-2005 0 19:30 5kph NW overcast 18º C  
02-01-2005 0 19:30 5kph SE overcast 22º C  
03-01-2005 0 19:30 nil clear 22º C last_quarter.jpg (789 bytes)
04-01-2005 0 19:30 10kph SE clear 23º C  
05-01-2005 0 19:30 10kph SE clear 25º C  
06-01-2005 0 19:30 nil overcast 25º C  
07-01-2005 0 19:30 nil rain 7.6mm 22º C  
08-01-2005 0 19:30 10kph SE overcast 18º C  
09-01-2005 0 19:30 15kph SE rain 1.6mm 17º C  
10-01-2005 0 19:30 5kph SE rain 9.6mm 16º C new_moon.jpg (777 bytes)
11-01-2005 0 19:30 15kph SE rain 0.4mm 17º C  
12-01-2005 0 19:30 10kph SE clear 18º C  
             
             
             

Observations have ceased at this point.
Emergences
28-11-2004
29-11-2004
30-11-2004
01-12-2004
02-12-2004		 30
31
50
9
60		 A more variable emergence has occurred this year with fewer sightings spread over a longer period.
I suspect that climatic factors, particularly rainfall and temperature may be the key ;o)
A similar pattern to 2004 suggests that the lifespan of the male firefly in the wild is probably 4-5 days.
07-12-2004
08-12-2004
09-12-2004
11-12-2004
12-12-2004 		12
3
3
10
16		 Weather conditions are noticably cooler this year.
We are hoping that warmer conditions yet to come may bring about a late emergence. The study will be extended to see if we can find a correlation between temperature, rainfall and emergence.
 

2004 Notes

1. Strong wind has grounded all aerial activity. Male fireflies were observed resting on low ground cover ferns, branches of vegetation and under leaf litter on the ground, still faintly flashing, probably conserving energy.
2. Bright moonlight has restricted activity, with many fireflies noticed resting on near-ground foliage.
3. Female firefly found 30-11-2004 (pics on firefly page)
4. This was the date of the first large emergence in 2003. The drought prior to 2004 may have impacted on the survival rate of the lavae.
5. Strong wind has grounded aerial activity.
6. In between heavy showers at 19:30hrs some aerial activity of short duration observed with flashing less intense than usual.
7. One each male and female specimen have been re-located into a glass fish tank with lid (600mm x 300mm x300mm). The tank contains a 100mm deep sample of the forest breeding ground material that we will attempt to keep at the same RH to promote laval development for further observation.
8. Summer Solstice
9. Asian Tsunami
? 21-12-04
Just a few thoughts here......
What triggers the emergence of fireflies at roughly the same time each year?
I've been trying to establish a pattern based on limited observations that will obviously have to be carried on over a longer period.
I've held a theory that the weather combined with the summer solstice are the triggers to emergences. We have one fixed attribute as a marker (solstice) and another variable (weather).
Maybe 2005 observations will help to clarify the quandry.
This year's observations do not correspond with the larger well defined 2003 emergences recorded, but there again the native orchids on Springbrook were very early to flower this year, and some are flowering a second time at present which suggests that the weather pattern this year is abnormal. Climatic factors may be affecting the emergence of the firefly as well.

G.Maguire

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