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Why do fireflies west of the Rockies not flash?

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Different species. There are fireflies (Lampyridae) in the West, but those species don't usually glow as adults. Some, like Pterotus obscuripennis, just glow as larvae. The next question is why that is so. read more

It could be fireflies started on the east coast and the flashing species never made it over the Rockies. It could be that Western US species lost adult flashing. A good paper on the historical biogeography of the Lampyridae would answer these questions, but I haven't found one so far. read more

Procreation is the #1 reason why fireflies flash, it’s the way they attract a mate. Each firefly species has a light pattern that helps it find a mate. Procreation is the #1 reason why fireflies flash, it’s the way they attract a mate. read more

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