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Although they are called fireflies and lightning bugs, they are neither a fly nor a bug. Fireflies are a beetle.
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Glowworms can refer to the larval stage of fireflies or to the flightless adult female fireflies in some species.
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There are more than 2000 species of fireflies around the world.
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The Pennsylvania Firefly (Photuris pennsylvanica) is the state insect of Pennsylvania.
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The eggs of some species glow.
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All fireflies glow in their larval stage. Firefly larvae typically glow as a warning that they are toxic.
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Not all species of fireflies glow in the adult stage. Species active during the day usually don't glow.
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Adult fireflies that are active at night glow to find and attract a mate.
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The glow of a firefly is a cold light - there are no infrared or ultraviolets components.
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Light production in fireflies is known as bioluminescence.
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The glow produced by a firefly is very energy efficient - about 90% of the energy used is converted into light. (By comparison, an incandescent lightbulb converts only 10% of the energy used into light and the rest is lost as heat.)
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Most firefly larvae are predators, cosumming other insects, small snails, and slugs.
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The diet of adult fireflies varies among species. Some are predators, while others eat plant pollen or nectar.
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Adult female fireflies belonging to the genus Photuris will mimic the flashes of other firefly species, capturing and eating the tricked males that come to investigate.
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Some species of fireflies may live for several years. Most of this time is spent in the larval stage, where they can easily burrow undground during the winter.
