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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] The type species is Lampyris noctiluca , the common glow-worm of Europe.
Many Pennsylvanians know these insects by the name "lightning bugs" and may have confused "firefly" with "black fly" when that state was plagued by them in 1988 [citation needed]. This might be why that year the legislature again confirmed the Pennsylvania firefly's official status and specified it by scientific name. The amended act reads:
Adult bugs feed on nectar, pollen, and other smaller insects, while their larvae feed on snails and other small ground creatures. Summary of 7 Bioluminescent bugs That Light Up
What do you call them: firefly or lightning bugs? It turns out they are the same insect! We explain the regional difference in how they are named in America.
They are among the "flashing" (as opposed to continuous-glow) fireflies known as "lightning bugs" in North America, although they are not too distantly related to the flashing fireflies in the Lampyrinae; as the most basal lineages of that subfamily do not produce light at all, the Photurinae's flashing signals seem to be convergent evolution. [2]
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Photinus pyralis, also known by the common names the common eastern firefly [3] or big dipper firefly, [4] and sometimes called a "lightning bug", [5] is a species of flying beetle. An organ on its abdomen is responsible for its light production. [6]
The Lampyris noctiluca, commonly referred to as a glow worm, belongs to the Lampyridae family, which is Greek for "shining ones," and includes species known as fireflies or lightning bugs. Contrary to its name, it is not worm-like, but a beetle. These beetles are typically the most active at night and spend their day under debris, or in the ground.