The
Historic Chinzan-so garden in Meijiro Tokyo has celebrated fireflies as a gift
of summer since 1954. To coincide with the firefly season the Four Seasons
Hotel located within this area capitalizes on this wondrous performance of nature by seducing the
well-heeled to “dine by the light of the fireflies”. In Tokyo things are a
little different, if you have the money; the fireflies will come to you – not
really but nearly.
The
Four Seasons Hotel runs an absolutely one of a kind dinner service starting
from 25th May to 18th July every year. The hotel’s garden which has
its own population of fireflies provides a twinkling illumination to a darkened
setting Diners are encouraged to stroll around the beautiful garden to see the
fireflies at close range, while enjoying their pre-dinner aperitif. The hotel’s
17 acres of Japanese garden has a lovely stream running through it, the paths
are softly lit by lanterns giving it a very romantic ambience. All through
dinner you will be mesmerized by the sheer beauty of so many fireflies doing
their mating dance. It is a tantalizingly spectacular sight. After dinner,
guests can go for a slow stagger to walk off their dinner and catch a final
glimpse of this illuminated mating show before the evening performance is over.
The
mating ritual of the firefly is set in motion when in twilight time the male
fireflies lift off into the air to broadcast their bioluminescent flashes in
search of female fireflies. Females perched on the grass and foliage, sit and
admire passing males, and if they are interested will flash in response.
Biologist Dr. Sara Lewis from Tufts University in her extensive study of
fireflies has found that the female fireflies can tell which suitor’s have the
best reproductive assets by gauging the males ability to brag about them based
on the length of their flashes and their faster flash rhythms. From her
research she has found that males with the longest flashes had the best
resources for fertilizing a female’s eggs.
The male’s gift to the female comes in the form of proteins that are
packaged along with his sperm that helps nourish the female eggs. To advertise
that he has got the goods the male firefly flashes to the female who flashes
back flirtatiously until the mating game
gets underway. The sad fact here is that the male while he is flashing must be
mindful that his flashing signals would not only attract the female fireflies
but will also be attracting predators in search for their next meal. Thus every
single night the male fireflies are out there flying a fine line between sex
and death. The next time you are outside
on a balmy night enjoying this awesome display of nature, take a moment to give
thanks and admire the firefly romance and risk that is playing out all around
you. Fireflies and their mating sequence are truly a beautiful work of nature
Dr. Lewis says that it is very easy to talk to fireflies, she only has to click
her penlight twice whilst among them in the dark and a female firefly flashes
back!
Fireflies have been written about in Japanese poems
and literature throughout the ages. They have been considered to be the “souls
of the dead” I wish I didn't learn that fact, because mulling over this fact
they quickly ceases to be so romantic and surreal. Nevertheless they are a
wondrous work of nature.
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