Firefly Underground
Fireflies light up our world for three to six weeks each summer. But UConn professor of physiology and neurobiology Andrew Moiseff is researching the larval stage of these burrowing (yes, they burrow!) insects — that may glow in the dark even then. Firefly larvae spend about a year in the soil and are equipped with specific adaptations for life in a subterranean environment, in stark contrast to their familiar above-ground adult form. Since not a lot of research has been done with firefly larvae, Moiseff’s team is delving into new territory, learning about how the same animal has adapted to two distinct lifestyles. — Elaina hancock ’09 MS
Hear him talk about his research and see the glowing bugs in action underground, below.
Firefly Underground
Fireflies light up our world for three to six weeks each summer. But UConn professor of physiology and neurobiology Andrew Moiseff is researching the larval stage of these burrowing (yes, they burrow!) insects — that may glow in the dark even then. Firefly larvae spend about a year in the soil and are equipped with specific adaptations for life in a subterranean environment, in stark contrast to their familiar above-ground adult form. Since not a lot of research has been done with firefly larvae, Moiseff’s team is delving into new territory, learning about how the same animal has adapted to two distinct lifestyles. — Elaina hancock ’09 MS
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