5 simple things you can do to live more sustainably
1. Turn off your lights. How elegant. How simple. Flip a switch to save the birds and the bees and the fireflies and all the other flying nighttime critters.
firefly
This type of pollution may sound benign, but it’s turned night into day across a staggering 80 percent of the world. This doesn’t just cloud our view of the stars—it messes with the visual cues that tell wildlife when to migrate, hunt, and mate. A study published in 2020 even found that light pollution, piling onto the threat from habitat loss and pesticides, puts 2,000 <anchor>firefly</anchor> species at risk of extinction.
Fireflies | National Geographic
Skip to content

a firefly

A familiar site on hot summer nights, each firefly flashes its light in a pattern unique to its subspecies.

Photograph by Medford Taylor, Nat Geo Image Collection

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

# Fireflies

ShareTweetEmail

Common Name: Fireflies

Scientific Name: Lampyridae

Type: Invertebrates

Diet: Omnivore

Average Life Span: About 2 months

Size: Up to 1 inch

Size relative to a paper clip:





Fireflies are familiar, but few realize that these insects are actually beetles, nocturnal members of the family Lampyridae. Most fireflies are winged, which distinguishes them from other luminescent insects of the same family, commonly known as glowworms.

## Habitat

There are about 2,000 firefly species. These insects live in a variety of warm environments, as well as in more temperate regions, and are a familiar sight on summer evenings. Fireflies love moisture and often live in humid regions of Asia and the Americas. In drier areas, they are found around wet or damp areas that retain moisture.

## Bioluminescence

Everyone knows how fireflies got their name, but many people don't know how the insects produce their signature glow. Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. The insects take in oxygen and, inside special cells, combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat.

Firefly light is usually intermittent, and flashes in patterns that are unique to each species. Each blinking pattern is an optical signal that helps fireflies find potential mates. Scientists are not sure how the insects regulate this process to turn their lights on and off.

Firefly light may also serve as a defense mechanism that flashes a clear warning of the insect's unappetizing taste. The fact that even larvae are luminescent lends support to this theory.

## Reproduction and Diet

Females deposit their eggs in the ground, which is where larvae develop to adulthood. Underground larvae feed on worms and slugs by injecting them with a numbing fluid.

Adults eschew such prey and typically feed on nectar or pollen, though some adults do not eat at all.



2:21

WATCH: Fireflies Glowing in Sync to Attract Mates

Each year in late spring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts a special light show, thanks to a species of beetle native to the region. These are the synchronous fireflies, known for coordinating their flashes into bursts that ripple through a group of the insects.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

1/8

1 / 8

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.

Photograph by Vincent Brady, National Geographic Your Shot

ShareTweetEmail

## Go Further

### Animals

We still haven't figured out these orca mysteries

Why do big dogs die young?

Why manatees often lurk close to Florida's power plants

This Ecuadorian frog was lost for 100 years—until now

Do birds have migration buddies?

We now know why Florida fish spin in circles until they die

### Environment

Storm categories don’t tell the whole story

What happens when an oil rig shuts down?

This little bird tells the story of the East Coast’s disappearing marshes

Empowering the educators of Ngamiland

This brain-eating amoeba is on the rise—why?

‘Corn sweat’—and other weird weather phenomena—explained

### History & Culture

Here's why Friday the 13th scares us

The 5 scariest mythological witches from around the world

Meet Emiliano Zapata: hero and martyr of the Mexican Revolution

Everything you need to know about Hispanic Heritage Month

Your favorite foods have surprising global origins

How did ancient Egyptian obelisks end up all over the world?

### Science

These are the best ways to get your protein

What causes earthquakes?

Is America’s legal alcohol limit for driving too high?

This Ecuadorian frog was lost for 100 years—until now

How much fiber do you need to reduce your cancer risk?

Experts explain what drives hair loss and how to fix it

### Travel

How to see the wild side of Japan

Eat like a local in Rome's historic central district

Planning a trip to Japan? Here's what you need to know

7 alternative experiences in the Indian Ocean

Here’s how to hike responsibly in Hawaii

AlUla: See the Secrets of the Stones

#### Legal

#### Our Sites

#### Join Us

#### Follow us

National Geographic InstagramNational Geographic FacebookNational Geographic TwitterNational Geographic YoutubeNational Geographic LinkedinNational Geographic TiktokNational Geographic Reddit

United States (Change)

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved