Common eastern firefly

Photinus pyralis · The common eastern firefly is a bioluminescent beetle that is the most common firefly species in North America, found east of the Rocky Mountains.

Also called Big dipper firefly.

Common eastern firefly
Photo: art farmer from evansville indiana, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0
Common eastern firefly
Photo: Celari817, CC BY 4.0
Common eastern firefly
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderColeoptera
FamilyLampyridae
GenusPhotinus
SpeciesPhotinus pyralis

Where it lives

Fields, lawns and woodland edges from the Great Plains to the Atlantic coast in the US.

Fun facts

  • Males fly in a distinctive J-shaped pattern while flashing light to attract females.
  • Larvae live underground eating worms, slugs, and snails for up to two years before becoming adults.
  • Its body contains bitter steroid compounds called lucibufagins that make it taste bad to birds, bats, and other predators.
  • Some rival Photuris fireflies actually hunt and eat these fireflies just to steal their defensive chemicals for themselves.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).