Identification: This is an oblong shaped beetle. It's less than an inch long, with dark wings frequently rimmed in yellowish coloration. The thorax has yellow and watermelon colored edges with black in the middle. The firefly emits light from its abdomen periodically. Some larvae can also emit light. These are more wormy shaped as larvae are wont to be, but at least have little legs. Really though, identification isn't too much of an issue, the blinking insect you see at night is a firefly.
Firefly Study; Daunting yet Rewarding
For the author, careful study of the natural world remains an avocation. It provides respite from the day to day, the old familiar, the routine. Pausing to reflect on nature's bounty is most refreshing; enabling an upbeat return to daily life with renewed vim and vigor. Perhaps because of my hobbyist approach, I sometimes view the work of wildlife professionals through rose tinted glasses. These strong-jawed men and women of science grapple daily with poachers, nurse sickly fawns back to health, and catalog hither-to unknown species. The rare minutes spent "at the office" consist of "a-ha" moments in which years of fascinating, non-tedious research yield stunning advances in human understanding.
In the evening they return to their quaint wooded cottages, and fall back into their hammocks. They rarely fail to sleep peacefully, while their tame wolf companions keep careful watch, as they have done nightly since first being rescued from poachers traps and lovingly rehabilitated. Though anxieties about loss of habitat and environmental contaminants loom heavy, they face these stoically, resolute in saving those starfish they can.
Out of this remarkable class of humanity emerges a select few, possessed not only of the aforementioned traits, but also a near freakish capacity for route memorization. These are those who study insects; the entymologists. Mammals number no more than 5700 species. A devoted ornithologist could perhaps learn the names of all 10,000 birds. Insects on the other hand, easily claim over 2,000,000 species, only a fraction of whom are known.
It is a herculean task to describe even one insect, as the varieties of commonly recognized examples approach infinity. Thus describing the "firefly" in any but the most general terms becomes a monumental undertaking. One recalls; as I often do, that smothering depression experienced by John Stuart Mill as he "was tormented by the thought of the exhaustibility of musical combinations." The succor once afforded by sweet harmonies withered as he faced the horror of knowing that "the octave consists only of five tones and two semi-tones, which can be put together in only a limited number of ways, of which but a small proportion are beautiful."* If only he had sought solace in the comforting multitudinousness of insectdom. While the strains of melody may grow stale, the 400,000 types of beetle could provide novel companionship to any wearied traveler throughout life's long journey. He who has chosen insects for his study, if he be in earnest, is most commendable.
The staggering volume of information available on the stupefying number of insects bearing the colloquial name "firefly" nearly derailed all progress on this humble guide. Unlike the genius Mill, I, with my feeble intellect was cowed into boobish waffling by the burthen of this labor. For over a year I dawdled like the cat i' the adage.** Heartened by this summer's display of insect bioluminescence, I set my face like flint, and took up this task with renewed resolve. I have here compiled a modest overview of the lives and habits of a few of these characters who call the northeast home.
Firefly Basics
Fireflies are not flies at all. Rather, they are a type of beetle. The multiple firefly species belong to a particular family of beetles called Lampyridae. There are about 2,000 types of fireflies, and their distinguishing characteristic is the ability to produce light.
Fireflies produce a cold light through natural biological processes. They use luciferin and luciferase in organs located in the abdomen to give off a pleasant glow. The light can vary from firefly to firefly; some shed yellowish light, some more greenish, others blueish.
There are no "hard and fast" rules for what a firefly is trying to communicate with his blinking. Generally, a desire to mate is involved in his discourse, but other messages may be present too. Different species have different blinking patterns, customs, and manners. While some seem to flicker about, turning on and off with little organization, others opt for the more spectacular approach of blinking in unison.
Other fireflies ensure their place in popular firefly lore by especially sordid blinking practices. The Photuris sp. firefly mimics the signal of the female Photinus sp. When her amorous male counterpart appears on the scene, he is promptly eaten. Obviously, such behavior is distasteful.
Given the loss of our hominid cousins in the mists of pre-history, it may be hard for us to relate. However, it is safe to say that were Homo-erectus still around, and were he predisposed to make a habit of decking himself in heels and lipstick in order to gobble up unsuspecting young men, we would take a dismal view of his proclivities. And rightfully so. Of course, one mustn't be too disappointed in our Photuris sp. neighbors. They are; after all, insects.
Whether he is eating his cousins in the case of Photuris sp., simply looking for a mate, or fleeing jar wielding children, the firefly is apt to be found in warm humid weather. Like the mosquito, he appreciates standing water. Given these preferences, one would not be far off base in questioning his judgement. Fireflies vary slightly, but not much more in dietary preferences. The majority who don't eat other fireflies enjoy plant based fare such as nectar and pollen. Some eat nothing at all in their adult form, leaving consumption behind in their larval days.
The Firefly; Should you Catch Him?
Finally, I wish to broach the "touchy" subject of firefly capture. The firefly is not an insect who bristles at human handling. There is no need to pluck him out of the air or devise elaborate traps. If you steadily raise your hand from beneath where he is hovering, he will often alight. However, unless you are engaged in vital research, I would recommend limiting handling to this gentle interaction, which is pleasing to both parties. I would advise against confining him to a jar with his comrades, as this leads to the demise of many upstanding insects. However, if you are resolved to do so, please provide him with ample oxygen and release him in a timely fashion. Doing so will help ensure his descendants illuminate the night skies for years to come.
Further Reading:
* Johns Stuart Mill, "Autobiography"
** See Macbeth/Wodehouse
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