Biology
Aggressive Mimicry in Photuris Fireflies and Their Prey
Quick fact
Female Photuris fireflies attract and eat males of other firefly species by imitating their species-specific flash patterns, a behavior known as aggressive mimicry. They also gain toxic chemicals called lucibufagins from their prey, which make them distasteful to predators.
Why this is interesting
Fireflies flash at night to find mates – but some flashes are a fatal lure. How can a simple light signal turn into a deceptive trap?