http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/3/10/central/3416102&sec=central
The ecology of the synchronous firefly is dependent on the riverbanks where the leaf litter and fruits is suitable as food for particular species of snail to feed on. The firefly larvae in turn feed on snails with the female firefly laying their eggs in the moist soil. Everyday new fireflies emerge from their pupa stage into adulthood. The adult fireflies will then fly to the display trees beside the river after dusk and synchronise their flashing for mating purpose. After mating, the successful female will fly back to the muddy banks behind the vegetation and lay their eggs and another batch of emerging fireflies will be ready for the next day.
Therefore, suitable conditions are the moist soil, food(snail), display trees (Berembang), land use and the river water quality. The two major components that are relevant to the survival of the fireflies are land use and water quality. The trees can only tolerate very low salinity levels or their growth will be retarded. As land use conditions are primarily determined by development pressure and ultimately by the locals, their motivation and conservation should be established.
The longest mangrove stretch of single firefly species, Pteroptyx tener, is at the Selangor River. Other areas with different synchronous and non-synchronous fireflies, are in the states of Perak (Matang-Kuala Gula, Bernam Bagan Datoh), Penang (Krian), Kedah (Merbok), Johor (Kota Tinggi, Nenasi, Tanjung Piai), Pahang (Rompin, Kuantan), Terengganu (Yakyah River, Kerteh River, Setiu, Penarik), Kelantan (Tumpat, Tok Bali-Pasir Puteh), Sarawak (Bako-Buntal, Oya River), and Sabah (Klias, Kinabatangan).
The Selangor River synchronous fireflies were ‘discovered’ by a Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) member in 1970. In 1971, MNS helped Kampung Kuantan, Selangor, set up firefly watching. Later 30 other boatmen joined in and a corporative saw the introduction of the motorboat in 1996. Unfortunately, the motorboat disturbed the wildlife, including the fireflies. A study carried out found that the Sonneratia caseolaris (Berembang) tree belt was disminishing fast and there was not much young Berembang shoots. Later, the government took over the cooperative and petrol driven motorboats were banned from the river.
The various water supply development activities taking place upstream in Hulu Selangor and in the mid stream at Batang Berjuntai is threatening the fireflies again. The spread of the firefly habitat has already declined due to land clearance, water pollution from nearby industries and other natural factors.
Apart from the fireflies, the riparian forest along the intertidal river is one of the least studied and protected forests. These river corridors are also not protected. There are keystone species in the area e.g bat and the Berembang. The survival of the Berembang is dependent on the bat, which in turn is pollinator for fruit and forest trees. The fireflies are dependent on the Berembang trees along the river. The whole ecosystem will be changed once the bats and trees are lost.
As there is very little firefly research in Malaysia, it is not known as to how many fireflies’ species are in the country. But we do know that the mangroves where the congregating fireflies are located are shrinking.
A nature lover necessarily an ecologist?..^-^
p/s: An ecologist, is someone with a small resource consumption and a small waste production.He/she is not necessarily a nature lover : a person living in a small flat, buying only what is strictly necessary, never flying, never driving, and eating little meat is much more of an ecologist that a nature lover going from a raid in Alaska to another one in the Sahara.
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