Focus on Arts and Ecology

A leading researcher on fireflies has warned that hunting and trading fireflies is not only cruel but a threat to certain sub-species of the insect, reported Qian Jiang Evening News. Fu Xinhua, associate professor of Central China Agriculture University, said that massive hunting and trade has caused the number of fireflies to drop dramatically in China while certain sub-species are also endangered. He said hunting of the insect is usually organised by businessmen who buy at a price of 0.5 yuan to one yuan per firefly, while retail prices can go up to five yuan. Undercover investigations by conservationists have found that an average of 23% of captive fireflies died before they reached their buyers. According to media reports, fireflies are often purchased in bulk for festive and romantic occasions, such as birthday parties and marriage proposals. In recent years C2C online stores have become a major distributor of fireflies. Taobao, China’s biggest online shopping platform, has recently announced a ban on sales of live fireflies.