Lampyridae

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For the TV series, see Firefly (TV series)

For the Owl City song, see Fireflies (song)

Fireflies
Lampyris noctiluca
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Coleoptera Suborder: Polyphaga Infraorder: Elateriformia Superfamily: Elateroidea Family: Lampyridae Latreille, 1817
Genera
Curtos Cyphonocerus Drilaster Ellychnia Hotaria Lampyris Lucidina Lucidota Luciola - Japanese fireflies Phausis Photinus - common eastern firefly Photuris Pristolycus Pyractomena Pyrocoelia Stenocladius

Lampyrideae is a family of beetles. These beetles are special in that most of them have the ability to produce light. Commonly, they are also called Fireflies or Lightning bugs sometimes even forreststars. There are about 2000 different species. Most of them are nocturnal. They use flashes of light to attract mates.

Most species live in marshes or near water, because there their larvae have more than enough food.

Firefly larva

Fireflies in a wood near Nürnberg, Germany