The common name for the Pleotomus pallens is firefly. They are also often known as lightning bugs. They are part of the Animalia kingdom, and Insecta class.  The first things that someone would notice are its wings and its red spot on the head. 

​

The Firefly is often found in Mexico and other areas of the world that has warm humid climate.  Fireflies range in size to one half centimeter to one inch in length.  There body’s have soft shells. They are usually brown to black in color with an orange or red mark on the back of its head.  A chemical reaction creates a glow in its stomach which the firefly uses to communicate.  These signals can be used to attract others or attract mates. 

Fireflies usually feed on pollen and nectar.  They compete with honey bees and even bats for this food.  Firefly population has dropped 70% in the past 3 years in some areas.  There predators include frogs, spiders, and some birds. It uses its light to detracted predators.

​

Fireflies often lay about 500 eggs a year.  The females lay the eggs underneath the backside of leafs in late July.  The eggs turn to larva in about ten days when his happens the larva falls to the ground and start growing quickly. They can be found near streams and ponds in rotting woods.

​

Author: Matthew S
Published: 2/2013

​

Sources: "Firefly - Pleotomus Pallens - BugGuide.Net." Welcome to BugGuide.Net! - BugGuide.Net. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. http://bugguide.net/node/view/295941.
Family Lampyridae | Discover Life in America." Discover Life in America | Great Smoky Mountains National Park All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. http://www.dlia.org/family-lampyridae.
"Pleotomus Pallens (Firefly)." Welcome to ZipcodeZoo. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/P/Pleotomus_pallens/>.

​

Photo Credit: http://bugguide.net/node/view/430133