- This page is about the episode. For the Photinus species, see Eastern Firefly. For the Photuris species, see Changeable Firefly.
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"Fireflies" is the 12th episode of Season 1 of the PBS Kids show Wild Kratts. It is the 12th episode of the series overall. It premiered on January 24, 2011.
In this episode, the Wild Kratts are all hyped about fireflies because they are having a firefly-themed picnic. However, the event turns into a "creature rescue" when fashion designer Donita Donata captures vast amounts of fireflies to use in a dress.
Plot[]
The episode begins with a live action segment. The Kratt brothers try to look for fireflies in the darkness. Afterwards, they ask their "What if?" question and the show transitions into the cartoon segment.
As Koki and Jimmy finish setting up for the Wild Kratts Firefly Picnic, the Kratt brothers try out Aviva's newest invention: the Buzz Bikes – firefly-themed transports that hover. After miniaturizing, they travel through the forest, finding fireflies. Martin quickly finds one and names it Blinker. They follow Blinker through the forest until Martin accidentally flings himself into a mud puddle. Chris falls in as well after a firefly flies near him.
Meanwhile, Donita is at her mansion, wondering what she is going to wear. Donita calls Dabio and tells him to open the window because she needs some fresh air. He does so and a bug flies inside. Donita sees the bug flying around her, and calls Dabio again because she is afraid of bugs and orders him to close the window. Immediately she gets an idea to use a firefly as her dress and and then she tells Dabio to reopen the window.
The Kratt brothers head back to the Tortuga to watch the fireflies's mating ritual, which consists of them synchronizing their flashes. Martin asks Blinker a joke in firefly in front of Aviva. "At the Bug Olympics, how does a firefly start the race?". Aviva asks "How?". Martin says "On your mark, get set, glow!" Everyone laughs and then they all release the fireflies, just when the jet of fashion designer Donita Donita sucks up vast amounts of fireflies.
The Wild Kratts start formulating a plan to save the fireflies – Koki tracks down Donita's jet, while the Kratt brothers figure out how firefly flash patterns work. Martin decides to start rescuing the fireflies, but Chris stops him and tells him that they need a plan. Martin back-answers Chris and says that there is no time for any plans and tells what Donita will do to the fireflies. Thankfully, Blinker is still with him. Chris points out that Blinker is the secret to the code and must crack it to communicate with the fireflies.
Aviva works on adding bioluminescence to the Creature Power Suits, and orders Jimmy to pour luciferase into a large beaker. In the process, Jimmy's hair turns green. With the help of Blinker's flashing, they find out the firefly flash-code is a simple blink and pause. Aviva finishes a Firefly Disc by dipping it into a beaker containing glowing, oxidized luciferin and luciferase. Martin grabs the disc after distracting Chris, and he activates Firefly Power, which creature-sizes him. While flying, Martin bumps into an automatic door that didn't open due to his small size. Chris lifts him up and opens the door for him. Koki tells Chris that Donita just arrived back at her mansion. Aviva needs thirty minutes to make a second disc because she has to reset the system and then output it, which gives Chris enough time to test the firefly pattern.
On his way to the mansion, Martin sees what looks like an injured firefly. He goes down to check, but the firefly grabs him. It is not the average Photinus species, but a Photuris species. It makes the same flash patterns as the female Photinus species to lure males in and eat them, whereas the Photuris firefly starts to eat Martin. Aviva breaks up the fight and tells Martin to rescue thousands of fireflies and then blows him away.
Meanwhile, at the mansion, Donita has completed Phase 2, which is to put the fireflies in a large jar. Martin arrives at Donita's mansion and loosens the knob, releasing the encased fireflies. He leads them outside and starts flashing to tell them to come out, but the fireflies do not respond to him. Martin calls Chris and the crew and tells them that the fireflies are not responding to him. At that point, Chris realizes that he and the rest of the crew have been working on the wrong flash pattern the whole time, by using the male flash pattern instead of the female flash pattern for the male fireflies.
Martin flies back in the mansion and uses a different flash pattern, but to no avail, Dabio enters the room and finds out that the fireflies have left the jar and closes the window to prevent the fireflies from leaving the mansion. Minutes later, Donita comes back and berates Dabio after she finds out that the bugs have left the container. She then prepares to place the fireflies in suspended animation, but without success because Martin keeps turning the controller off every time she turns it on. Donita notices and orders Dabio to capture the "bug", which he fails to do successfully and ends up netting himself.
Back at the Tortuga, Chris finds out that the female firefly blink pattern is a simple blink-blink-pause. They test it on Blinker using a flashlight. Blinker's eventual response is landing on the flashlight's lens, implying success.
At the mansion, Martin (in Firefly Powers) sits on Dabio's head and the latter tries again to net him, but only ends up netting himself. Martin manages to escape, but only to get stunned with a spray of perfume. Donita grabs Martin, believing he is a unique firefly, and decides to make him her crowning jewel. Martin appreciates what Donita said in a sarcastic way, but demands her to release the fireflies, so that they can go back to nature, flashing free and in the wild. Donita ignores his retaliation and continues with her plans.
Aviva recreates the chemical formula of glow and finishes a second disc and then she tosses it to Chris, who activates his Creature Power Suit. Chris decides to stay human-sized, so that his glow will be brighter to attract more fireflies. He then flies to Donita's mansion.
Donita has now completed her firefly-themed dress. Martin calls the crew and tells them that Donita put all the fireflies in suspended animation, including himself, and built a dress out of them. While Chris is flying to rescue Martin, Aviva tells him to hurry up, because if Donita enters her limousine and drives off, they'll lose her and he'll never be able to keep up. Chris immediately finds Donita's location and arrives there. Just as she's exiting the mansion, Donita notices that Chris stole her one-of-a-kind fashion idea. She then orders Dabio to turn Chris off, but he is unsuccessful in doing so. Chris then uses the flash pattern embedded in his suit to attract the males and save Martin. The fireflies lift Donita up and escape, and she falls into the fountain in front of her mansion. Donita, who is now in her hoop skirt and bloomers, is upset because her "glow-rious" gown is ruined, which ironically, Dabio laughs about much to Donita's dismay.
The fireflies follow the Kratt brothers back to the Tortuga. Jimmy comes out of the Tortuga with the same green-colored hair after multiple failed attempts to remove the color. After catching some fireflies with the Wild Kratts kids, Martin announces a catch-and-release. The Wild Kratts watch as the fireflies sync their flashes for their mating ritual. Martin asks the kids "Why do fireflies love thunderstorms?". Chris answers, "Because they're lightning bugs!", and everyone laughs.
The show transitions into the ending live action segment. The Kratt brothers and a couple of kids catch and later release fireflies. Afterwards, the Kratt brothers conclude the episode by saying "Keep on creature adventuring; we'll see you on the creature trail!"
Characters[]
- Chris Kratt
- Martin Kratt
- Aviva Corcovado
- Koki
- Jimmy Z
- Donita Donata
- Dabio
- Kenny
- Warren
- Gavin
- Jenny
- Unnamed Girl
Animals[]
Animation[]
Note: Featured animals are in bold.
- Eastern Firefly (called firefly): Blinker
- Changeable Firefly (called Photuris species)
- Northern House Mosquito (called skeeter)
- American Toad (called toad)
Mentioned[]
Note: Mentioned animals are linked to Wikipedia.
Trivia[]
- This episode introduces the Buzz Bikes.
- Chris prefers to call fireflies lightning bugs.
- Chris is shown to be left-handed. This is shown when he takes notes on firefly blinking patterns.
- Ironically, Dabio laughs at Donita when he sees Donita in her bland hoop skirt and bloomers after the fireflies detached from Donita's skirt, which is strange because he usually feels bad for Donita when their plan goes wrong.
- This is the first time Jimmy's hair has changed color. This happened while pouring the liquid from one beaker to another.
- It is unknown how Jimmy's original hair color was restored even though he was unable to get the green color out. It is possible that he could dyed his hair with the same color as the original or used a hair dye remover.
Key Facts and Creature Moments[]
- Fireflies aren't really flies at all. They're actually beetles.
- A glowworm lives underground for up to two years, then grows wings and turns into a firefly.
- A glowworm glows as a warning that tells predators, "I'm poisonous, don't eat me."
- Fireflies will synchronize their lights when they're in a large group.
- Fireflies will only come out and flash for two weeks of the year.
- The male fireflies fly around and flash to get the attention of the females. The females are on the ground watching the flying flashes. If she likes what she sees, she'll flash back. So the fireflies are flashing so they can pair up and lay eggs, that turn into glowworms, that turn into fireflies.
- Most light creates heat, but the firefly's glowing belly isn't hot. It creates cold light.
- Photuris fireflies will mimic the flash pattern of female Photinus fireflies to lure in males and eat them.