Hobbies And Interests

How to Tell If a Lightning Bug Is a Male or Female

Lightning bugs, also called fireflies, are notable for the bright flashing lights they emit at night when attracting mates. Though lightning bugs should not be kept as pets, children may trap the insects in a jar to temporarily observe their behavior. Whether you're observing wild or captive flies, you can determine their gender relatively easily through behavioral and anatomical differences.

Instructions

    • 1

      Observe flashing lightning bugs in the wild. Males emit light while flying, while females emit light from a stationary perch or ground position.

    • 2

      Pick up a firefly very gently and turn it over, taking care not to exert pressure on the insect.

    • 3

      Examine the firefly's abdomen. A male has light organs on the last two segments of the abdomen. The light color of these organs distinguishes them from the other brown abdominal segments. The female photinus and pyactomena firefly breeds only have a light organ on the next-to-last segment, while the female photuris firefly has a light organ on the last two segments, similar to the male. The female photuris is distinct from the male photuris by the translucent border covering the light organs.


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