Big dipper firefly (Photinis pyralis) emerging from vegetation as the rains subside.
Regular mid-June rains were followed by an abundance of fireflies. I find myself longing for the warm weather and its accompanying lack of snows and wind chills.
Photuris females sometimes mimic the flash patterns of female Photinus fireflies, attracting Photinus males who are promptly eaten. The Photuris females sequester the Photinus males’ defensive chemicals in their own tissues and use the Photinus males’ nutrients to nourish their developing eggs.
Once sated, the Photuris females will flash their own species-specific pattern, attracting mates of their own species.
Photuris sp. individual feeding between bouts of rain.
[...] is posting a series of summer photos to cheer us up in the middle of winter; including An abundance of fireflies. TGIQ is snowed in like me, but still managed to find a Winter beetle at Fall To [...]
[...] is posting a series of summer photos to cheer us up in the middle of winter; including An abundance of fireflies. TGIQ is snowed in like me, but still managed to find a Winter beetle at Fall To [...]
[...] is posting a series of summer photos to cheer us up in the middle of winter; including An abundance of fireflies. TGIQ is snowed in like me, but still managed to find a Winter beetle at Fall To [...]
I’m missing the summer & fireflies too.
Here’s an ornament of summer evenings past & future:
http://bit.ly/fPqcxY
VERY nice, Rick! I enjoyed seeing your web site.
[...] unique mating deception (described at Six Months Ago: An Abundance of Fireflies) occurs in this [...]