Hibernating Glowlicker

The hibernating glowlicker originates from the violet glowlickers that left to the Nuke Temperate Forest once the mega orbitrees repopulated it. It co-evolved with the seasonal mega-orbitree feeding on its nectar and both are dependent on each other to survive. It has grown slightly bigger to face the slightly colder forests as well as its wingspread that grew slightly larger to get more light. Its main difference from its ancestor is not physical but behavioral. The hibernating glowlicker as its name suggests hibernates at each of the cold winters of the Nuke Temperate Forest reducing its metabolism is very low and that way survives this hard season. In order to have basic protection from the outside conditions the hibernating glowlicker hibernates inside the seasonal mega-orbitree’s folded leaves with its wings spread out to photosynthesis in its winter sleep.

Most of its inner organs are stored in the womb mouth that has grown slightly larger. It no longer comes only at night for it has no competition in the day light. Its glowing butt-nostril has split into two where the bigger part is used for lighting and the smaller one is to show its sexual status. Pregnant females and males that recently mated are only slightly lit while others that are in their sexual prime and are ready to mate glow powerfully. The smaller part glows in a greenish color in order to distinct it from the regular lighting organ.

They have evolved a unique new way of mating. Using their secondary licking mouths they first lick their own sexual organ mouth and than the others, back and forward, that way passing the sperm into the female’s sexual organ. In these rituals the hibernating glowlickers fly at circles in the air lighting powerfully until both lights run out and the two separate in the darkness.