Famous for its beautiful “light dance” every summer, the firefly sanctuary in Nanacamilpa (Mexico) becomes an attractive tourist destination for nature lovers. From June to August every year, tourists flock to the firefly sanctuary in Nanacamilpa (Tlaxcala, Mexico) to admire the magical spectacle.
Fireflies are brown, soft-bodied beetles but their wings are usually harder and tougher than other beetles. These insects are capable of emitting cold light orange-red or green-yellow. The glow in fireflies is caused by a chemical reaction of bioluminescence (biological light) occurring in specialized organs, located under the animal’s abdomen.
When fireflies mature, it has only one purpose to live: mating. The ability to glow not only helps fireflies to catch prey but also to seduce their mates. Summer is the time when this insect enters breeding season. They concentrate in the deep forests, near streams or lakes, simultaneously glowing, creating magical beauty. Visitors must follow the basic rules of the tour such as walking on the road, not playing music, not using insect repellent, not turning on the lights and not using a mobile phone at all. Any light, even the phone screen, can distract fireflies.
Photo credit: Pepe Soho
Caption: Nature has a way of creating her own, spectacular works of art – here with fireflies as the artists!
