MINING GOLD OUT OF LIGHTNING BUGS

That yellowish-green glow of the lightning bug is more than just magic -- it's a handy tool for genetic and medical research.

Scientists look for two chemicals obtained from Lampyridae, the official scientific name of the firefly, or lightning bug.

Officials say that 100 fireflies will provide a milligram of concentrated light-emitting "luciferin" and "luciferase" chemicals, used in medical research in such ailments as cancer, heart disease and genetic disorders.

The chemical may also be used to determine if there is bacteria in food.

This is good news for young entrepreneurs.

A handful of laboratory supply firms and food processing facilities around the country pay bounties to people who round up fireflies. The bugs are then turned into ultra-pure lab supplies, which retail for $1,200 an ounce.

During the 1950s and '60s, companies were paying a penny each, plus a bonus for the fireflies.

That was 40 years ago, but the price hasn't changed.

QualiChem of Austin, Texas, buys fireflies. The company's network of collectors includes Boy Scout troops, families and entire communities who take dead, frozen bugs to a regional coordinator who sends them to Texas.

Sigma Chemical Co. of St. Louis has a special division -- Sigma Firefly Scientists Club -- which involves Scout troops, church groups, 4-H clubs and hundreds of people, providing fun and a few bucks to the youngsters.

A check with the Sigma Co. last week revealed that the company was not buying from individuals now, but maybe later.

Most companies pay a cent a bug.

This may not sound like much, but look at the big scope of things. For 100,000 bugs, a Scout troop, youth club or senior citizens club can collect $1,000 plus a $300 bonus, which counts up to $1,300 in the treasury.

Catching fireflies is the only means scientists have to obtain the chemicals needed for research. A two-year larval stage makes breeding fireflies impractical. Thus, chemical companies must count on human hunters.

And no significant damage will be done to the firefly population, say Sigma and QualiChem spokesmen.

Fireflies have a life expectancy of five to 30 days.

The Sigma firefly program has been around more than 40 years. The annual firefly roundup has resulted in 2 million to 4 million lightning bugs a year from Missouri and Illinois.

Chemical company officials even offer a couple of suggestions for catching fireflies.

Open areas are best for finding fireflies, they say. Fireflies are not natural city dwellers, but can be found in big numbers in open back yards. Many hunters use nets to capture fireflies in larger numbers.

Fireflies are native to the United States and were once considered in some circles as a candidate for national insect. They are the official state insect in Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

The males use their lights to find mates, and each of the more than 100 species has its own light signals.

Scientific studies say that the male flies around flashing his message -- as many as one flash every six seconds -- until he spots a correctly coded response from a female firefly that has perched on the ground or in a bush.

This hunt can take time. Studies show the average male may need 7.2 nights to find a female that responds in the right code.

Another reason fireflies light up is to warn other fireflies of danger. Distressed insects almost always attract insects of the same species. But insect experts say in the case of lightning bugs, bees will often come to assist them. If fireflies are caught in a spider web, they will begin distress flashing to warn others.

They'll do the same thing if they are caught and put in a jar.

A final note: There are about 1,900 species of the lightning bugs worldwide, with about 140 species native to the United States.

Not all members of the firefly family give off lights, but the larvae (young) of all species and eggs of some species emit light. The glowing larva and the flightless females of some species are often referred to as glow worms.

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Firefly facts

* The Chinese thought fireflies came from burning grass.

* A European legend warned that if a lightning bug flew in the window, someone was going to die.

* Aztecs used the term firefly metaphorically, meaning a spark of knowledge in a world of ignorance or darkness.

* American Indians collected lightning bugs and smeared them as decorations on their faces and chest.

* Fireflies don't bite, have no pincers, don't attack, don't carry disease, are not poisonous and don't fly very fast.