Many of us have wonderful Hoosier memories in early summer of waiting and watching for lightning bugs, then happily running out into the dusk to catch as many as we could fit in a jar. But, are they lightning bugs, or fireflies? Depending on where your roots are, in the Midwest we call them lightning bugs, but further west, they are fireflies. In fact, these bugs aren’t even true bugs, rather beetles. It’s hard to believe there are 43 species of lightning bugs right here in Indiana, though not all of them glow. Most of them express a yellow bioluminescence, but some have varying shades of green or amber, and most are crepuscular -— meaning, they’re active at dusk.
This winged beetle, that only partially flies, hovers about seemingly moving in random directions. Believe it or not, lightning bugs are actually signaling each other, in an attempt to attract a mate. Not only do they use their personal series of flashes to communicate, but they have a pattern of flashes that are specific to each species of lightning bug. In fact, these light patterns put on a fantastic nightly show for two weeks in June in the Smoky Mountain National Park. It’s so popular you must have advance tickets, and the tours sell out quickly.
Lightning bugs are not as passive as one might think. For instance, these beetles can actually startle a predator by shedding drops of blood in a process known as “reflex bleeding”, which distracts the predator. Not only is it confusing for the predator but it also tastes bitter. Lightning bugs also provide assistance in criminal cases with the use of their bioluminescent enzyme that helps with identifying forensic evidence. Plus, the colored glow sticks that are popular for kids of all ages were created from inspiration from our little beetle friend.
If you would like to know more from the national and state level, check out the Firefly Conservation and Research Organization (firefly.org) or the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Entomology (idnr.gov/dnr/entomology). For more online information, check out Crawfordsville District Public library’s digital databases/econtent to access virtual presentations on not just lightning bugs, but all true insects. I recommend Kanopy where a general insect search for documentaries yields a wealth of information.
If you are interested in finding out more about the different species of lightning bugs we have here in Indiana, I encourage you to check out our non-fiction collection as well. Some titles suggested include: Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders (595.03 Fir), Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects (595.7 Mil), and Insects: Natural History and Diversity (595.7097 Mar). Our Youth Services department has a cornucopia of books on a wide variety of insect identification as well.
Let’s continue to catch and release lightning bugs with a little more appreciation for these little wonders. Thanks Mont. Co!
Stephanie Morrissette is a library assistant in the Reference and Local History Department at the Crawfordsville District Public Library.
