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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Click, Firefly and Soldier Beetles (Elateroidea) » Fireflies (Lampyridae) » Photinus » Photinus pyralis
Photo#284299
Beetle - Lightening-Bug - Dorsal - Photinus pyralis - male
Copyright © 2009 David A. Copeland

Beetle - Lightening-Bug - Dorsal - Photinus pyralis - Male
North Shelby, Birmingham 35244, Shelby County, Alabama, USA
June 4, 2009
Size: ~13mm
See
Found two of these fairly large lightening-bugs two hours before dusk in a shaded area on a holly bush. The larger of the two (1-2mm larger) took flight and lit-up for its entire flight of 10 seconds or so. He took a very vertical body position with his light always down.
The "light" organ protrudes more from the posterior of the elytra than the other specimens in BugGuide.
First record in Alabama on BugGuide for this beetle.

Images of this individual: tag all
Beetle - Lightening-Bug - Dorsal - Photinus pyralis - male Beetle - Lightening-Bug - Posterior Lit - Photinus pyralis - male
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Contributed by David A. Copeland on 5 June, 2009 - 9:18am

up to 20 spp. are known from your area
what makes this one pyralis?
… v belov, 5 June, 2009 - 10:15am login or register to post comments

 
Analysis
Large for a Photinus. Blackish-brown finely, densely rugose elytra, side margins and suture of elytra yellow. Pronotal disk pinkish with a black spot. Pronotum convex.
Single prolonged flash.
Flashing occurs earlier in evening than most other fireflies.
… David A. Copeland, 5 June, 2009 - 11:29am login or register to post comments

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