Photuris pennsylvanica
Encyclopedia
Photuris pennsylvanica, known by the common name
s Pennsylvania firefly, lightning bug, Pennsylvania lightning bug, and (in its larva
l state) glowworm
, is a species
of firefly
from the United States
and Canada
.
approximately 0.75 inch (2 cms) in length. Its primary color is black, but it has two bright-red eyespots
on its thorax
, as well as yellow edging on its thorax and wing case
. The species is carnivorous, and feeds mostly on insect
s, but also on other invertebrate
s, such as land snail
s on occasion. The terminal segments of its abdomen are white-yellow and glow when the insect
manifests its bioluminescence
.
. Its designation as such started with a group of Highland Park Elementary School students in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Fireflies are abundant in Pennsylvania and are enjoyed for their ability to "transform a midsummer night into a fairyland
of tiny, brilliant twinkling lights" rather than being considered pests. Discovering there was a species of firefly with the taxon
pennsylvanica, and no other U.S. state
had adopted a firefly as its state insect, the students began their campaign to have P. pennsylvanica made Pennsylvania's state insect.
With advice and support from state legislator
s, the students began a campaign that included letter writing, the circulation of petitions, and the distribution of bumper sticker
s. On April 10, 1974, Governor Milton J. Shapp signed their bill, making the Pennsylvania firefly their state's official insect. A few years later, Highland Park Elementary School was presented with a bronze
plaque
in honor of the students' achievement.
According to one source, Pennsylvanians best know fireflies as "lightning bugs", and may have confused "firefly" with "blackfly" when that state was plagued by them in 1988. This might be why that year the legislature again confirmed the Pennsylvania firefly's official status and specified it by scientific name so that:
The firefly is also the state insect of Tennessee
, but in this case the specific species referred to (if any) may be P. pyralis , the most common species of firefly in North America
.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
s Pennsylvania firefly, lightning bug, Pennsylvania lightning bug, and (in its larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
l state) glowworm
Glowworm
Glowworm, or glow worm, is the common name for various groups of insect larvae and adult larviform females that glow through bioluminescence. They may sometimes resemble worms, but all are insects .-Classification:Major families are:* Lampyridae , found around the world...
, is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of firefly
Firefly
Lampyridae is a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera. They are winged beetles, and commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuous crepuscular use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey. Fireflies produce a "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Description
P. pennsylvanica is a somewhat flattened beetleBeetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
approximately 0.75 inch (2 cms) in length. Its primary color is black, but it has two bright-red eyespots
Eyespot (mimicry)
An eyespot is an eye-like marking. They are found on butterflies, reptiles, birds and fish. In members of the Felidae family , the white circular markings on the backs of the ears are termed ocelli, and they are functionally similar to eyespots in other animals.Eyespots may be a form of...
on its thorax
Thorax
The thorax is a division of an animal's body that lies between the head and the abdomen.-In tetrapods:...
, as well as yellow edging on its thorax and wing case
Elytron
An elytron is a modified, hardened forewing of certain insect orders, notably beetles and a few of the true bugs ; in most true bugs, the forewings are instead called hemelytra, as only the basal half is thickened while the apex is membranous...
. The species is carnivorous, and feeds mostly on insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, but also on other invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s, such as land snail
Land snail
A land snail is any of the many species of snail that live on land, as opposed to those that live in salt water and fresh water. Land snails are terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells, It is not always an easy matter to say which species are terrestrial, because some are more or less...
s on occasion. The terminal segments of its abdomen are white-yellow and glow when the insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
manifests its bioluminescence
Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. Its name is a hybrid word, originating from the Greek bios for "living" and the Latin lumen "light". Bioluminescence is a naturally occurring form of chemiluminescence where energy is released by a chemical reaction in...
.
State insect
In 1974, P. pennsylvanica was designated the state insect of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Its designation as such started with a group of Highland Park Elementary School students in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Fireflies are abundant in Pennsylvania and are enjoyed for their ability to "transform a midsummer night into a fairyland
Fairyland
Fairyland commonly refers to the land of fairies, in folklore.Fairyland may also refer to:* Álfheimr, the abode of the elves in Norse mythology* Elfhame or Elfland, the abode of the elves in English and Lowland Scottish folklore...
of tiny, brilliant twinkling lights" rather than being considered pests. Discovering there was a species of firefly with the taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
pennsylvanica, and no other U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
had adopted a firefly as its state insect, the students began their campaign to have P. pennsylvanica made Pennsylvania's state insect.
With advice and support from state legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
s, the students began a campaign that included letter writing, the circulation of petitions, and the distribution of bumper sticker
Bumper sticker
A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker with a message, intended to be attached to the bumper of an automobile and to be read by the occupants of other vehicles - although they are often stuck onto other objects...
s. On April 10, 1974, Governor Milton J. Shapp signed their bill, making the Pennsylvania firefly their state's official insect. A few years later, Highland Park Elementary School was presented with a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
in honor of the students' achievement.
According to one source, Pennsylvanians best know fireflies as "lightning bugs", and may have confused "firefly" with "blackfly" when that state was plagued by them in 1988. This might be why that year the legislature again confirmed the Pennsylvania firefly's official status and specified it by scientific name so that:
The Firefly is the state insect, as enacted by the General Assembly on April 10, 1974. Act 130 of December 5, 1988, designated the particular species of firefly, "Poturis Pensylvanica De Geer" as the official state insect.
The firefly is also the state insect of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, but in this case the specific species referred to (if any) may be P. pyralis , the most common species of firefly in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.