Dan Hulslander, age 13, Elmwood, I11., for his question:

HOW DOES A FIREFLY LIGHT UP?

Fireflies, lightning bugs or lightning beetles are warm weather creatures that you find in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. They're about a half inch long and black in color with red and yellow spots. They eat pollen and other foods during the day and spend the warmer parts of the night flying around and flashing their lights. The flash usually happens just as the beetle starts on its up and down course.

In the firefly's abdomen are a number of chemicals. When nerve stimulations release another chemical, inorganic pyrophosphate, the bond breaks and the reaction produces the light. The light area usually appears on the sides of the abdomen. Seconds later, the light goes out because another chemical destroys the pyrophosphate.