Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, are beetles, not flies.
Not all fireflies light up, but when they do, the light can be yellow, green or orange.
The light-emitting, reaction occurs when an enzyme luciferase is present in the firefly and is combined with oxygen, calcium, adenosine triphosphate and the chemical luciferin.
These fireflies often appear around the patio during the day.
If you like this firefly and want to see more images of Patio Life, then click here.
Patio Life will be exhibiting at the Griffin Museum of Photography’s new satellite gallery at WinCAM (Winchester Community Access and Media) in their first photography exhibit. Patio life will run June 13 – Sept. 17. Kids are welcome!
The exhibit will feature over 20 large format reproductions of insects, Patio Life book, 4 x 6 foot location map and identification guide of over 60 insects photographed in the back yard.
If you plant it – they will come!
Directions
The Griffin Gallery at WinCAM
32 Swanton Street
Winchester, MA
TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phyllum Arthropods
Class: Insects – Insecta
Order: Beetles – Coleoptera
Family: Fireflies – Lampyridae
Genus: Lucidota
Species: Black Fire Fly – L. atra