Some folks know them as “fireflies”, others call them “lightning bugs”. Several years ago, I started a one-man crusade to come up with a better common name for these bioluminescent beetles. They are not flies, and they don’t make fire. They are not bugs, and they don’t make lightning. But they are beetles and they flash, so I started calling them “flash beetles”. C’mon, say it with me: “flash beetle”. It’s accurate, and it’s still just as much fun to say as firefly or lightning bug.
(Mike Lee photo)
You can learn more about these fascinating creatures here and here, and see some good photos here.
God bless the flash beetles!