Fireflies Are Nocturnal Beetles That Emit Flashes of Light to Attract

question 18

Multiple Choice

Fireflies are nocturnal beetles that emit flashes of light to attract mates.A scientist studying the firefly population over the past 5 years observes that the firefly population has declined significantly as the area that she has been studying has become more developed (more buildings) .The scientist proposes a series of hypotheses to explain the decline.Which of her hypotheses is most likely to be correct?

• A)Due to excess amounts of artificial light,the firefly is now active during the day;the scientist is trying to study them at the wrong time leading to incorrect counts of the number of fireflies.
• B)Excess amounts of artificial light prevent the female fireflies from seeing the male's flashing mating signal.
• C)Excess amounts of artificial light resulted in the evolution of a different mechanism in the male firefly for attracting females and the females no longer recognize this signal.