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A subspecies of the dragonfly, the "damselfly" is recognizable by its particularly elongated abdomen. Although its silhouette is elegant, a closer look reveals its large globular eyes and its crushing mouthparts, characteristic of a ferocious carnivore. Indeed, the dragonfly is a great consumer of insects, which makes it a formidable predator despite its fragile and delicate appearance.
The Firefly, That Sparkling Firefly
On summer nights, it is not uncommon to see small lights twinkling in the air or near bushes. These luminous points are in fact fireflies, beetles capable of bioluminescence. Their nickname "firefly" comes from their ability to produce light thanks to a chemical reaction within their body.
The writer Dante Alighieri, in his famous work The Divine Comedy, named this creature "lucciola", meaning "little light" in Italian, a term that was transformed into "luciole" in French in the 18th century. The light it emits can be yellow or green, and it varies depending on the sex and species. Males use these flashes of light to attract the attention of females, who, often unable to fly, respond with light signals. This phenomenon has fascinated observers for centuries, and the firefly remains a poetic symbol of mysterious nature.
The earwig, a misunderstood insect
The earwig, or earwig, is an insect that is very poorly named. Its pincers, located at the back of its body, are not designed to pierce human ears, contrary to what one might think. The name "earwig" dates back to the Renaissance and finds its origin in the shape of these pincers, which recall the tools once used to pierce earlobes. Another explanation suggests that the term "ear" refers to an apricot segment, a fruit that the insect is fond of.
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