Photinus scintillans -  Highland Park, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA June 20, 2016 Size: 8.9 mm
Oh boy, a nocturnal firefly other than P. pyralis in my yard! Snagged from low vegetation. There seemed to be a good flight of them around. IDed at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3500582 on basis of range & ventral coloration. Ventral shot shown; dorsally, thorax is pink & abdomen yellow. Looks much smaller than P. pyralis, & with a different flash pattern. Seems happy to flash either in flight, from the ground, or while climbing a vertical surface. Starting around dusk, when still light enough to see the bug in flight. Flashes are briefer than P. pyr's (~~200-500 ms) and don't show any vertical motion; occasionally given in pairs ~1 s apart but more often separated by several seconds.
Images of this individual: tag all
Contributed by Anita Gould on 2 February, 2023 - 7:50pm |