Fireflies are actually beetles!

Fireflies are not really “flies” but are beetles in the family Lampyridae (from the same Greek word which is the English source of the word lamp).

“Flies” have one pair of wings (like houseflies) while all other winged insects have two pairs of wings, or, four wings altogether. In general, when the common names of insects contain the word “fly” as part of a one word common name such as firefly, dragonfly or scorpionfly, the insects are not true flies and belong to another order of insects. When the word “fly” is hyphenated or follows the first word of an insect common name, it is most likely a true fly (and by definition, has only two wings.)

Habitat and Range
Most firefly larvae are found in rotting wood or other forest litter or on the edges of streams and ponds at night. Some Asian species are fully aquatic (due to the presence of tracheal gills) and live underwater, feeding on aquatic snails.

Adult fireflies are found in the same general habitats as their larvae. Generally speaking, the highest number of firefly species are found in warm, humid areas of the world. The greatest number of firefly species (highest species diversity) are found in tropical Asia and Central and South America.

Behaviour
Firefly Larvae are predaceous and have been observed feeding mostly on earthworms, snails and slugs. Larvae can detect a snail or slug slime trail, and follow it to the prey. After locating their future meal, they inject an anesthetic type substance through hollow ducts in the firefly’s mandibles into their prey in order to immobilise and eventually digest it. Multiple larvae have also been observed attacking large prey items, such as large earthworms. Other observations suggest larvae sometimes scavenge dead snails, worms and similar organic matter.

Adult Fireflies also have mouthparts suggestive of predation (long sickle-shaped mandibles). Although it is widely known that fireflies of a few species mimic the mates of other species in order to attract and devour them, observations of adults feeding on other prey items are practically non-existent. It is likely however, that adults might feed on plant nectar in order to sustain their energy requirements in the adult stage (which can last several months or longer).

Baby, Light My Fire!
Mating occurs when the male lands by the female. The female lays her eggs at the base of plants on or in the moist soil. The eggs of some fireflies glow. The eggs hatch into firefly larvae which usually glow. These are called glow worms. The females of some fireflies are wingless and are also called glow worms. The larvae stage of the firefly may last one or two years, again depending upon the species.

When the larval stage is complete, the ins