Abundance and courtship behavior of a firefly Luciola sp. HK 1 at The Huai Hongkhrai Royal Development Study Center, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

Abundance and courtship behavior of Luciola sp. HK 1 at the Huai Hongkhrai Royal Development Study Center, Doi Saket District, Chiang mai Province were investigated from July 2014 to June 2015. Adults of the Luciola sp. HK 1 firefly were sampled along a 120-meter transect line nearby a creek. The numbers of adult firefly flashed were recorded by direct counting method using a counter. Then, an aerial net was used to catch all adult fireflies in each transect line section. The numbers of all adult fireflies caught and the numbers of adults Luciola sp. HK 1 caught were recorded and the indirect estimated numbers of individual of Luciola sp. HK 1 were calculated in the unit of individuals/ 40-meter section of transect line. The indirect estimated numbers of individual of Luciola sp. HK 1 were 2.57±0.76 in July, 2.77±0.64 in August, 2.64±0.84 in September, 3.68±0.83 in October, 4.90±0.99 in April, 4.40±0.80 in May, 4.30±0.86 in June; and adult Luciola sp. HK 1 was not found in November 2015 to March 2015. Firefly flash display peaks at about 55 minutes after first flash, so the recommended time for ecotourism is around 7:00-8:00 PM. To study of courtship behavior of a firefly Luciola sp., the study was conducted with adult fireflies in the laboratory during 6:00-8:00 PM by keeping a couple specimen of one adult male and one adult female fireflies in a clear square box with lid, then, started recording the moving and flashing of the couple specimen. The video was recorded in 3 phases; before the couple saw each other, during the period that the couple saw each other and the mating period between the couple specimen. It was found that there were 3 flashing patterns; male flash, female respond and mating flash patterns.