Bret Harrison
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They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production of light, mainly during twilight, to attract mates. [5] Light production in the Lampyridae is thought to have originated as a warning signal that the larvae were distasteful.
Fireflies are disappearing! Find out why on Firefly.org. Information on fireflies & lightning bugs including reasons on their decline, plus firefly pictures, facts, and how to catch them.
Jun 2, 2023 · For many people across the U.S., fireflies (or lightning bugs, depending on where you live) are one of the most cherished insects, with their beautiful flickering light displays on summer...
- Janet Loehrke
- Fireflies Are Not Actually Flies. Contrary to what their name suggests, lightning bugs don't belong to the same family as flies. Rather, they're nocturnal members of the family Lampyridae, within the order Coleoptera, which also contains ladybugs, emerald ash borers, and boll weevils.
- Their Bioluminescence Is Caused by a Chemical Reaction. Luciferin is an enzyme inside the firefly's abdomen and tail area that, when combined with oxygen, calcium, and adenosine triphosphate, creates light.
- They're Incredibly Efficient. The light produced by fireflies is the most efficient light on earth. According to The National Wildlife Federation, almost 100 percent of the energy from this chemical reaction is emitted as light, whereas an incandescent lightbulb emits only 10 percent of its energy as light while the other 90 percent is lost as heat.
- Fireflies in the Western U.S. Don't Light Up. Fireflies live in temperate and tropical habitats all over the world, on every continent but Antarctica.
Jul 3, 2024 · firefly, (family Lampyridae), family of some 2,000 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) found in most tropical and temperate regions that have special light-producing organs on the underside of the abdomen. Most fireflies are nocturnal, although some species are diurnal.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Jun 7, 2024 · Firefly fans who'd like to see lightning bugs year-round are out of luck. The insect, which is a type of beetle, is usually seen only between spring and summer, with different species emerging at...
Photinus pyralis, also known by the common names the common eastern firefly or big dipper firefly, and sometimes called a "lightning bug", is a species of flying beetle. An organ on its abdomen is responsible for its light production.
