Munich switches off street lamps: Protection of the fireflies in danger!

Munich switches off street lamps: Protection of the fireflies in danger!

Thomas-Hauser-Straße, 81739 München, Deutschland - The protection of the fireflies is the focus of the Berg on Laim district committee. With a unanimous application by the Greens, the committee spoke out to switch off the street lighting on Thomas-Hauser-Straße at the transition to Trudering until the end of July. This step is intended to help the fascinating little beetles who urgently need darkness to reproduce. As reports tz.de, this measure is part of a greater engagement for nature and species protection in the city.

glowworms don't just shine. This biioluminescence plays a crucial role in its reproductive behavior. The males send out their presence via light signals while the females react to it in the dark. But to experience these magical moments, the absence of annoying light is needed, especially in June and July.

security concerns and progress

At the most recent meeting of the district committee, some worries remained unmentioned. The CSU expressed concerns about the security at the police car attending the police and voted against the application to shut down the lamps in this area. Nevertheless, the majority prevailed for the protection of the fireflies, as well as goodnews-magazin.de. The applicants argued that the lighting in the Randstrasse was not absolutely necessary during the summer months.

The newly elected animal welfare officer of the district committee, Kathrin Eva Schmid (CSU), is committed to accelerating the process. "We have to do something so that we don't lose the fireflies. Your reproductive time passes quickly," she emphasized. In addition, Manuel Weiß made it clear from the Greens that the administration may need up to three months for an answer to such applications - too long for the small characters.

science and biioluminescence

But what exactly makes fireflies the bright star of the night? It is the special chemical reaction in which the enzyme luciferase meets the substrate Luciferin. This interaction creates light that appears over the phoicytes in the belly of the fireflies. As explained nationalgeographic.de, there are different light colors that can be generated through different chemical processes. The belly of the fireflies thus represents an unexplored area of ​​bioluminescence.

The basics of light emissions lie in the interaction of oxygen, calcium, magnesium and lucifer. Recent research results show that an additional oxygen electron plays a key role in this process. Bruce Branchini from Connecticut College has shown that a chemical reaction must take place that could also occur in other organic lines. The possibilities that arise here could not only be important in nature, but also in modern medicine.

Fascinating is not only the biology of the fireflies, but also the initiative of the district committee, which makes an important contribution to species protection. It is to be hoped that by switching off the street lamps, the mysterious light messengers in Berg am Berg am Laim will get a chance to perform their nightly dances undisturbed.