Use an LED Light to Make a Firefly Lantern
Want a natural nightlight? Try making a firefly lantern.
Step 1: Make a mesh container from a piece of fiberglass window screen. Roll it into a tube with overlapping ends. Staple the tube together leaving a two-inch opening to slip fireflies through. Cap off each end with a plastic lid and duct tape.
Step 2: To use a female decoy firefly to catch males, connect the leads from a green LED light to two six-foot lengths of insulated copper wire. Attach one of the wires to a 9-volt battery. To make your “female firefly” flash, touch the second wire to the battery. Keep the light six feet away from you. (Fireflies avoid humans.)
Step 3: To crack the fireflies’ code, watch a female in the grass answer a flying male’s signal. Note how long she waits before flashing a response. With your LED light inside an open container, mimic the female’s pattern.
Step 4: Put any males that arrive into your lantern. At least 40 fireflies per lantern should give you plenty of light. Release them, unharmed, the next day.
I love fireflies! So making this next summer!
cant do this where I live… too cold
This was a great project I did with a group of kids. I used green and yellow Christmas tree lights instead of the LED, which still worked well. Also, you only need a AA battery if you use the Christmas tree light. This might make finding supplies much easier.
oh yea, and the led light can be stripped out of an electrical appliance that is no longer working. more recycling!
>To crack the fireflies’ code, watch a female in the grass answer a flying male’s signal.
Um, sure. If I could find a female in the grass, I doubt I’d be building firefly lanterns.
it would take less than 30m
thats pritty cool!
its hard to get this stuff
I want to make this but I have to wait till next spring.
its cool but it would take to loong to make