Fireflies

Family

Lampyridae

Order

Coleoptera

genus

Photinus

Class

Insecta

species

There are ​​more than 2,000 described species.

about

Did you know that fireflies are not actually flies? They are beetles! Their popular names of “firefly” and “lightning bug” originate from the light that they naturally produce. They are able to glow thanks to bioluminescence which is found in their organs. Each species has their own pattern of light-flashing, and it can be used for mating, attracting prey, or defending themselves. 

habitat

Fireflies live in temperate regions and tropical climates across the world except for Antarctica. They like to make homes in parks, meadows, woodlands, and gardens.

diet

The larvae of fireflies will eat worms, snails, and slugs. They inject their food with a numbing chemical to help disable their prey. Adult fireflies can eat nectar, pollen, or even other fireflies of other genera.

Fun Facts

Fireflies can be green, orange, or yellow!

Larvae may glow even when they live underground or under the water to communicate to predators that they are not tasty. 

The bioluminescence in fireflies is about 100% efficient! That means that there is hardly any energy wasted to produce their light. This is the most efficient light in the world!

download our firefly field guide

Learn at home, in your classroom or on-the-go with our end use materials and templates. In each field guide, you will learn more about a featured flora and fauna from our monthly expedition crates.

You’ll find information about anatomy, lifecycles, matching exercises, flash cards, and downloadable posters.