Fireflies!

By Anna Bagwell, Science Education and Discovery Intern

Hi everyone, my name is Anna and I am a science education intern at Phipps! This summer, I will be posting a biweekly series of information alongside a craft or activity to help children learn about our natural world. Join me this week as we talk about everyone’s favorite summer insect: the firefly!

Image credit: National Park Service

Despite what the name suggests, fireflies are not flies! Also called lightning bugs, they are actually a type of beetle. A special chemical reaction happens inside a firefly that causes bioluminescence, or the ability to glow. Their flashes of light are used to attract mates or scare off predators looking for a late-night snack. Fireflies like to come out on summer nights, so keep an eye out for them in the coming weeks!

However, today we will be making some fireflies that glow during the day. You will need yellow tissue paper, construction paper (I used black), contact paper, a pipe cleaner, scissors, and glue.

First, cut your tissue paper into one-inch squares.

Cut a square of contact paper large enough to form your firefly’s glowing abdomen. Then, place the yellow squares onto the sticky side of the contact paper. Try overlapping some squares to get a neat, layered look!

Re-seal the contact paper and cut out a teardrop shape.

Using construction paper, cut out two wings and a circular head for your firefly.

Glue each wing over the glowing body, and then add the head. 

Fold a pipe cleaner in half and glue to the back of the firefly’s head to create the antenna. You can even use some googly eyes, pom poms, or sequins for eyes! 

Now your firefly is ready to glow! Hang in a window on a sunny day to watch your firefly light up.

Resources

Britannica: Firefly

The National Wildlife Federation: Fireflies

Photo credits: NPS Jonathan Manchester; Craft, Anna Bagwell; Header, 123rf; Cover, iStock