Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Insects of Cedar Creek

Order COLEOPTERA

Family LAMPYRIDAE

(Fireflies)

(Table of Species)

Firefly larvae (124 NA spp) are predaceous, while adults spend their time sitting on vegetation or flying about emitting  flashes from their light producing organs.  However, not all adults are light producers.  Day active species such as Ellychnia  (2 spp--corrusca, autumnalis?),  Lucidota atra,  and Pyropyga (2 spp--decipiens, fenestralis) communicate with pheromones. Night flying luminescent fireflies are found in the genus Pyractomena (3 spp--lucifer, angulata, borealis).  A single specimen of Pollaclasis bifaria also collected.  Flying males emit a species specific flash pattern which is responded to by conspecific females that are sitting in vegetation.  The male is attracted to the perched female and mating ensues.

This system has been exploited by females in the genus Photuris.  Some individuals mimic the response pattern of Photinus females and attract Photinus males which they promptly eat (JE Lloyd).  The story is reportedly even more bizarre.  Species of Photinus carry a predator repellant called 'lucibufagins' which the predaceous Photuris female acquires on consuming the Photinus male.  This substance is exuded when the female Photuris is attacked by birds, spiders, or other predators and affords it some protection from predation (T Eisner).   Photinus and Photuris have not been collected at Cedar Creek, but these two genera do occur in Minnesota.

I thank Stephanie Eastwood (U/WI Madison) for calling to my attention errors in an earlier version of this account.

jhaar@lter.umn.edu Last updated August, 2002