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Larvae
Lightning bug larvae closely resemble sowbugs -- commonly referred to as rolly-pollies -- and share the same habitat with them. Fallen logs and low areas beneath rocks provide access to earthworms, slugs and snails, which make up most of a juvenile lightning bug's diet. Equipped with mandibles for chewing, larvae sometimes scavenge small, dead animals or other organic matter.
Adults
Adult lightning bugs also have mandibles, but have not been observed consuming a diet that requires chewing, except for those few species that eat other lightning bugs. Scientists believe adult fireflies either eat plant nectar and pollen, or simply refrain from eating altogether. Fireflies only live in the adult stage long enough to mate and lay eggs. The adults have characteristic black and orange markings down their elongated bodies. Their heads are covered by a pronotum -- the first plate atop an insect's thorax. Most species are 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, but a few species are only 1/4 inch long.
Bioluminescence
Lightning bugs combine a substrate called luciferin, an enzyme known as luciferase and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the presence of oxygen to create the most efficient light in the world. Known as cold lights because they emit no heat, firefly lights convert 100 percent of the energy used as emitted light. Even the eggs and larvae of fireflies light up when stimulated by touch. Lightning bugs are not the only creatures that produce light through bioluminescence. Some deep-water fish, glow worms and other animals also use forms of bioluminescence.
Medical Importance
All cells have some level of ATP present in them. Scientists can combine luciferin and luciferase in cells to determine whether those cells are diseased or cancerous. The amount of light created by the two chemicals when combined with the cell's own ATP indicates potential problems. The same process is used to detect spoiled foods and to search for life forms in outer space.
Reflex Bleeding
If a predator tries to eat a firefly, the insect engages in a process known as reflex bleeding. Lightning bugs secrete a little of their blood, which has a bitter taste to some predators and can be poisonous to others. Pet owners should not attempt to feed lightning bugs to reptiles like lizards and snakes.