The lightning bug is also called
a “firefly” or “glowworm”.
Lightning bugs are nocturnal, which means they
sleep during the day and are active at night.
Each lightning bug has its own
unique flashing pattern.
Lightning bugs are part of the beetle family
and there are more than 2,000 known
species of lightning bugs.
In some species of lightning bugs,
the larvae and eggs glow too.
Some species
live in water and some live in trees.
The chemicals found in the lightning bug’s
glowing tail have been used to help find
defective or cancerous cells.
Most lightning bugs are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. The young larvae eat worms and other bugs, but adult lightning bugs may not eat anything at all.
Lightning bugs have a short life span – one to two years total.
When you don’t see lightning bugs, they may be hiding, sleeping, growing underground or hibernating.
Lightning bug numbers are
dwindling in North America because of light pollution, pesticides and habitat development.
