Other Common Names
Firefly, Lightning bug, Day Flying Firefly, Winter Firefly
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ellychnia Blanchard, 1845 (
ITIS)
some sources list as
Ellychnia LeConte, 1851
listed as
Ellychnia Dejean by Dillon and Dillon
(1)Explanation of Names
Ellychnia is related to Greek
lychn, a lamp
(2). Blatchley
(3) gives the meaning of
Ellychnia as (Greek) "lamp wick". This is confirmed by Smith (1870),
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, p. 713 (
link):
LUCERNA (λυχνος), an oil lamp.... In the lamps there are one or more round holes according to the number of wicks (ellychnia) burnt in it;
Numbers
Neartica lists 12 North American species. Arnett
(4) lists 14.
Identification
Large, diurnal fireflies. Note these characters
(1):
lack light organs in the abdomen--see image(s) below
third antennal segment shorter than fourth
often large (typically 10 mm or more, at least in East?)
Illustrations here:
Range
Arnett indicates all of N. America except for the Pacific Northwest.
Habitat
Active during the day, and can be common on tree trunks in spring or on goldenrod and asters in autumn.
(5)Print References
Arnett, "American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico"
(4), p. 438
Borror, entries for
e,
lychn (2)
Dillon and Dillon, p. 249-250
(1)
Marshall, photo 316.3
(6)
White,
Peterson's Field Guide to Beetles (5), pp. 188-189
Internet References
Insects of Cedar Creek - has info on Fireflies with a photo of an Ellychnia species
Florida Center for Library Automation - has a detailed report on the life history and mating behavior of Ellychnia
Contributed by
Tony DiTerlizzi on 15 July, 2004 - 7:49am
Additional contributions by
cotinisLast updated 24 November, 2009 - 9:27pm
