New Canaan Land Trust Presents: The Wondrous World of Fireflies | A Conversation with Dr. Sara Lewis
New Canaan Land Trust’s Executive Director Aaron Lefland interviews renowned scientist and professor Dr. Sara Lewis about fireflies. Dr. Lewis, who has studied fireflies for nearly three decades, offers insights into the luminous lives and behaviors of fireflies. The conversation offers insights on what observers will witness at the Land Trust’s Firefly Sanctuary during the peak firefly mating season in June and July. Dr. Lewis explains the science behind the lifecycle of fireflies and their courtship rituals. Listeners of all ages will be fascinated and enlightened about the wondrous lives of the remarkable 150-million-year-old beetle species. All facets of fireflies are covered in this 55-minute podcast. Subjects covered include: • Firefly courtship and sex lives; • The lifecycle from larvae to pupa to adult firefly; • The Femme Fatale of fireflies and what triggered their vampire-like behavior; • The chemistry that produces bioluminescence; • Surprising applications of the light-emitting enzyme in space, medicine, industry and more; and • What citizens can do to protect firefly habitats in their backyards and towns. Segments: :45 Background on Dr. Lewis and why she has spent decades studying these wonder-inspiring creatures 3:56 Current focus of Dr. Lewis and her team’s research 10:41 Lifecycle of fireflies: from larvae to pupa to firefly 15:50 Mating ritual: What you are witnessing at the Firefly Sanctuary 21:30 The different species of fireflies (surprising fact: not all adults light up) 25:10 Photuris firefly: The Femme Fatale 35:10 The science and history behind bioluminescence 44:11 What we can do to protect fireflies’ habitat 55:16 Effect of climate change on fireflies 51:49 Advice to Firefly Sanctuary visitors about what to do before and during their visit Sara Lewis is a Professor of Biology at Tufts University, where she and her students have researched the luminous lives of fireflies for nearly three decades. Author of Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies and numerous scientific articles, Lewis’ work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, USA Today, and Undark magazine. Currently, she works on global firefly conservation as co-chair of the IUCN Firefly Specialist Group. .
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Episodes
Friday Jun 11, 2021
Friday Jun 11, 2021
New Canaan Land Trust’s Executive Director Aaron Lefland interviews renowned scientist and professor Dr. Sara Lewis about fireflies. The conversation offers insights into what observers will witness at the Land Trust’s Firefly Sanctuary during the peak firefly mating season in June and July.