Of all the intriguing insects out there, the Photuris firefly has always been one of my favorites. This “femme fatale” uses light as a weapon, mimicking the specific flashing mating signals of other ...

Q How do fireflies glow? — Ryan Hopp, Verona, Wis. A PJ Liesch, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab: Fireflies, sometimes called lightning bugs, are actually a type ...

Bioluminescence, the natural ability of organisms to produce light, is one of nature’s most captivating phenomena. While often linked to deep-sea creatures, many terrestrial insects also display this ...

Female Photuris fireflies use their light to mimic other firefly species, attracting unsuspecting males, ambushing them, then eating them. The Photuris firefly consumes males of other firefly species ...

Fireflies, sometimes called lightning bugs, are actually a type of beetle, so they’re not a true fly. In Wisconsin and the Great Lakes area there are about two dozen or more different species of ...