The Insect With Poisonous Blood
The Insect With Poisonous Blood
The Photuris Firefly is an all female species of Firefly, and they lure their male counterparts in order to defend themselves against other predatory insects. No, these females are not looking for protection from chivalrous male fireflies. In fact, the males belong to a completely different species called Photinus. Actually the females have something much more sinister planned.
The females, on their own, are defenseless against other insects looking to kill them, and it is only the male fireflies that possess the proper defense, and it is in their blood. The male fireflies exude a chemical in their blood called Lucibufagins. This chemical keeps other bugs from eating them. It acts as a kind of poison that other bugs can sense and avoid. So how do females defend themselves? Well, as mentioned earlier, the female firefly will lure in the males with the chemical poison in their blood and eat them. As a result the females then carry the poison in their bloodstream, giving them the power to stave off predators.
I suppose there is no easier way for females to appropriate the life-saving male blood. Talk about giving blood to protect your mate.
Do you know of any other insect females that use and abuse their mates? How do those females take advantage of their male counterparts?