The female firefly that Kya watches eat a potential mate represents the same kind of power that she herself taps into when she uses her own sex appeal to lure Chase into a death trap. Shortly after Tate abandons Kya, she observes a female firefly emit a light pattern that summons a male firefly of a different species, at which point the female firefly eats the unsuspecting male. As she watches this, she sees that females in nature have a certain power that they can lord over males, since males are so eager to mate with them that they overlook certain dangers. Given that Kya later uses this same tactic of seduction to kill Chase (who has become a threatening presence in her life), it becomes clear that Kya sees fireflies as examples of female predation and strength. This ultimately enables her to avoid feeling helpless against the possibility that Chase might come and try to rape her for a second time.
Fireflies Quotes in Where the Crawdads Sing
Reading her message, the second male was convinced he’d found a willing female of his own kind and hovered above her to mate. But suddenly the female firefly reached up, grabbed him with her mouth, and ate him, chewing all six legs and both wings.
Kya watched others. The females got what they wanted—first a mate, then a meal—just by changing their signals.
Kya knew judgment had no place here. Evil was not in play, just life pulsing on, even at the expense of some of the players. Biology sees right and wrong as the same color in different light.
The Firefly
Luring him was as easy
As flashing valentines.
But like a lady firefly
They hid a secret call to die.
A final touch,
Unfinished;
The last step, a trap.
Down, down he falls,
His eyes still holding mine
Until they see another world.
I saw them change.
First a question,
Then an answer,
Finally an end.
And love itself passing
To whatever it was before it began. A.H.
Fireflies Symbol Timeline in Where the Crawdads Sing
