They are found all over the world in warm, humid places or in drier places after a rain. In the U.S. they are found only in the East as far west as Kansas.
They live in fields, yards and open woodlands.
They have brown wings with yellow edges. There is a red plate behind their head with a black spot in the center. Last section of abdomen lights up to attract a mate.
Their tail end lights on summer nights to attract a mate.
They eat insects, worms, and snails.
The female lays eggs in the soil that hatch 4 weeks later.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Family: Lampyridae
Genus: Photinus
Species: P. pyralis
When you research information you must cite the reference. Citing for websites is different from citing from books, magazines and periodicals. The style of citing shown here is from the MLA Style Citations (Modern Language Association).
When citing a WEBSITE the general format is as follows.
Author Last Name, First Name(s). "Title: Subtitle of Part of Web Page, if appropriate." Title: Subtitle: Section of Page if appropriate. Sponsoring/Publishing Agency, If Given. Additional significant descriptive information. Date of Electronic Publication or other Date, such as Last Updated. Day Month Year of access < URL >.
Amsel, Sheri. "Firefly" Exploring Nature Educational Resource ©2005-2024. November 25, 2024
< http://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/267 >