Firefly
(Adopted 1975)

Lightningbugs or Fireflys are neither bugs nor flies, but soft-bodied beetles. They are typically brown or blackish in color, usually with markings of red or yellow on the large, shield-like pronotum. A lightning-bug's most distinctive characteristic is, of course, its light, thought not all species have one. It is a cold light produced by chemicals in the firefly's body. Males and females of each species have their own flashing patterns, allowing members of the same species to recognize each other for mating. You may be able to distinguish such patterns as a J, a series of dashes, or a series of dots. Lightningbug larvae feed on slugs, insects, and other invertebrates, and live in damp, swampy habitats. The food eaten by the adults is largely unknown.