Wildlife Wednesday 06/18/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! We are so excited for our Firefly Festival next weekend, so let’s enjoy some fun facts about fireflies!
Fireflies are soft-bodied beetles commonly referred to as lightning bugs.
There are more than 2,000 species in the firefly (Lampyridae) family. Many but not all of the species produce light as adults.
There are about 2 dozen species of fireflies found in Ohio.
Fireflies produce light through bioluminescence, light emitted due to a chemical reaction in a living organism.
Bioluminescence in fireflies is nearly 100 percent efficient and little energy is wasted to produce their light.
Firefly larvae eat snails, slugs, and worms.
All fireflies glow as larvae. They use this glow to warn predators that they do not taste good.
Adult fireflies use their flashes to attract mates.
Firefly light can be yellow, green, or orange.
Habitat loss, pesticide use, and light pollution are contributing to the decline of firefly populations.
Join us next week on Saturday to learn even more about fireflies!