common eastern firefly

Have you ever caught a firefly on a warm summer night? Chances are it was a common eastern firefly (Photinus pyralis). Like most fireflies, it communicates with patterns of flashing light. These signals are used to find and attract mates, deceive other firefly species, and avoid predators. While many organisms make their own light, called
bioluminescence, fireflies are perhaps the most familiar.

Image credits: main image, Terry Priest CC BY-SA 2.0.

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