Lampyridae (Lightning Bugs, Fireflies)
These insects are beetles, not plant bugs or flies, as the common names suggest. They are medium-sized, black, with red or yellow markings, especially behind the head. The wing-covers are rectangular, while the posterior of the abdomen usually has a light-emitting organ. Lightning Bugs are often observed shortly after dusk, when they emit a yellow or greenish-yellow blinking light to attract members of the opposite sex. Both adults and larvae prey upon small, soft-bodied insects, but the former sometimes appear on flowers, where they seek nectar or feed on pollen.
These insects are beetles, not plant bugs or flies, as the common names suggest. They are medium-sized, black, with red or yellow markings, especially behind the head. The wing-covers are rectangular, while the posterior of the abdomen usually has a light-emitting organ. Lightning Bugs are often observed shortly after dusk, when they emit a yellow or greenish-yellow blinking light to attract members of the opposite sex. Both adults and larvae prey upon small, soft-bodied insects, but the former sometimes appear on flowers, where they seek nectar or feed on pollen.
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Hilty, J. Editor. 2013. Insect Visitors of Illinois Wildflowers. World Wide Web electronic publication. illinoiswildflowers.info, version (05/2013)
See: Abbreviations for Insect Activities, Abbreviations for Scientific Observers, References for behavioral observations
