Black Firefly
Lucidota atra
Unlike their famous nocturnal cousins, adult Black Fireflies do not light up to find mates; instead, they navigate the daylight using sensitive, fan-like antennae to detect pheromones.
- Scientific name
- Lucidota atra
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Lampyridae › Lucidota
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, forest edges, and shaded moist woodlands.
- Diet
- Larvae prey on snails, slugs, and earthworms; adults feed on nectar, plant sap, or do not feed at all.
- Range
- Eastern North America, United States, Canada
- Size
- 8 to 11 mm in length
- Lifespan
- 1 to 2 years (mostly spent as larvae, adults live only a few weeks)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss, leaf-litter removal, and pesticide use.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless to humans as they do not sting or bite. You can safely observe them at any distance. If handled, wash your hands afterward, as they can secrete a bitter, defensive fluid that may irritate your eyes if rubbed.
Lucidota atra , the black firefly , is a species of firefly in the family of beetles known as Lampyridae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Photo: Katja Schulz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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