Comments by "Be Kind To Birds" (@BeKindToBirds) on "The Mystery of Synchronous Fireflies - Smarter Every Day 274" video.

@jlt131 That is a myth disproven by modern science. It is just a coincidence. There is a large enough amount of overlap in the average 28 day cycle to sometimes make it seem that way which contributes to anecdotes and spreads further of the original flawed studies which have since been disproven. There is no hormonal change observed and it is not a real phenomenon. It is coincidence and bias and anecdote. Again, scientifically proven. Women's science is a pit of misinformation and bad actors. Most medical studies don't even include women so you should pay attention to the ones focused on women and arm yourself with knowledge.
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@lukearts2954 Their eyesight and brains aren't that good though. And the timing doesn't reflect that communication.
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@lukearts2954 Testing eyesight in animals is usually based in some food finding trickery and analysis of its eye and brain structures. Given the fact they prefer forests wbich have limited sight lines and that synchronous behavior can be observed between two insects not linked by a line of sight I think it is less likely. I am sure there are some entomologists who have thought of these things and tested them though. We would have to see what they have found to go any further I think though. At least, that's the limit of the guessing I can do over a video. But I do think you are very wrong about the impossibly of testing, there are many simple tests that can be done on captured insects to establish some variables. I am assuming that entomologists have done them and these are simplistic ideas that did not fit the data and that is why it remains a mystery. That or some technologies haven't been applied like computer analysis of light patterns or multiple temperature sensors through a forest during a season etc
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@lukearts2954 Lol this video isn't the only example of this mate. Fireflies are around outside too. I trust entomologists have overruled the obvious answer a long time ago but if you think youtube is where the science happens and is published then I guess I can see why you'd think that
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My guess would be they respond to temperature? They all seem to try and occupy the same altitude band and maybe that represents a specific temperature gradient they prefer. That gradient could spread far enough that all the insects rhythms become synchronized by their common body temperatures across that pocket. Well, seems like a testable theory anyway.
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