#winter firefly

[dailybugfacts]

Can you tell us about winter fireflies?

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TODAY'S FACT IS

Did you know that the Winter Firefly (Ellychnia corrusca) is a diurnal firefly found throughout much of North America east of the Rocky Mountains? These fireflies don't have lanterns (the larvae do but they lose them in adulthood) and are diurnal but they're usually all huddled up nearby on oak or hickory tree trunks. These beetles are often a pest when tapping trees for syrup as they fall into sap-filled buckets by the handful.

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Photo by Judy Gallagher

[fivetrench]

Winter firefly, this species doesn’t have a lantern

[adiaryofnonsense]

Thought I’d start introducing some new dorks :)

This is Amber, she is based on a winter firefly and has the ability to control small bits of metal. She enjoys crafting things and always has a supply of paper clips, loose staples, and pencils.

[onenicebugperday]

@remithelitteralrat submitted: I found this lil guy in the woods behind my house and I was wondering what he is :3 (I live [removed] pls remove that tho lolz)

Beetle pal!!! I love their mushroom home. This nice lil friend is a firefly beetle, most likely a winter firefly. They don’t bioluminesce like some other species do :)

[onenicebugperday]

;; Just some New York friends I’d love to get an ID for if possible. Also, would there be a reason why a caterpillar keeps flipping over onto its back??

Suuuure. No idea on the first caterpillar, I'd need to get a better look at it. Can't see anything identifiable in that photo. The jumper is a tan jumping spider. The beetle is a soldier beetle, likely Cantharis livida or at least in the genus Cantharis. The spider...idk, world's smallest wolf? I'd need to see the eyes. Certainly is wolf-shaped, at least. The next beetle looks like a winter firefly. Dunno on the last caterpillar either, maybe a noctuid, possibly a pinion of some sort. As for flipping on its back repeatedly, there are a few reasons. I'd need to see it to have a better idea. Usually it's a defense against predators, but sometimes if they've been exposed to pesticides or parasites, they can behave strangely.

[onenicebugperday]

@sonofsimon​ submitted: This cute friend landed on me. It explored my hand for awile, didn’t find what it was looking for, and flew away. I think it’s one of the non-luminescent fireflys.

Just before it flew off. I’m in Michigan.

Adorable! I agree, looks like a winter firefly. :)

[onenicebugperday]

@the-isopodcalypse​ submitted: Found this firefly a few days ago. At least I'm pretty sure its a firefly since it had the yellow sections that glow on its underside, but it was a bit bigger than the common eastern fireflies I usually see around here. Any ideas on what it could be? (Cincinnati, OH)

It looks like a winter firefly, but they don’t glow. Likely just some lighter coloring on the abdomen and not actually glowy bits!

[onenicebugperday]

@my-whole-brain-is-crying submitted: these three bugs are all from pennsylvania if you could please id them. the last one is injured sadly, it's wing is bent

Suuure. The first dude is a mayfly but it's not clear enough to really tell you which one. The first beetle is a net-winged beetle in the genus Calopteron, likely C. reticulatum, I think. The injured friend looks like a winter firefly, Ellychnia corrusca :)