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Observation: Photinus pyralis
Primary Observer:
Kori
Event Date:
2025-05-29
Status:
Verified
Survey
Site Name:
Home
Province/State:
North Carolina
Event Date:
2025-05-29
Time of Day:
Day-Time
Start Time:
18:40
End Time:
18:45
Number of Observers:
1
Primary Observer:
Kori
Additional Observers:
Target Species Genus:
Target Species Species:
Location and Habitat
Location Accuracy (meters):
0-25
Habitat Type:
Developed - Sub/urban areas; parks/gardens
Habitat Type Notes:
Elevation (meters):
150
Area Searched (hectares):
Artificial Light Sources
Vehicles: No
Street Lights: No
Buildings: No
Street Lights: No
Buildings: No
Artificial Light Types
Sky Glow (diffuse illumination in the sky): No
Light Trespass (light cast on surfaces beyond its intended target): No
Glare (bright light causing visual discomfort): No
Light Trespass (light cast on surfaces beyond its intended target): No
Glare (bright light causing visual discomfort): No
Artificial Light Notes:
No artificial light. It was still daylight outside.
Observation
Observation Type:
Flashing
Number Observed:
2-10
Genus:
Photinus
Species:
pyralis
Observation Notes:
Specimen Voucher Number:
Flash Behavior
First Flash Time:
18:45
Last Flash Time:
18:45
First Flash Temp (F):
76
Last Flash Temp (F):
76
Flashes in Pattern:
1
Flash Color:
Yellow
Flash Pattern Period:
1 flash every 4 seconds
Flash Duration:
1second
Flash Interval:
Every 4 seconds
Male Height Zone:
Low (0-3 ft), Moderate (3-8 ft)
Flash Location:
I’m very new to this so I want to make sure my observations are clear. I observed 1 yellow flash every 4 seconds. Each flash lasted 1 second or less. The flash emanated from the last section of the abdomen.
Male Flash Behavior:
Female Flash Behavior:
1 thought on “Observation: Photinus pyralis”
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Thanks for submitting this firefly observation! Nice documentation of a big dipper firefly (Photinus pyralis), which can be identified by the flash pattern, the pre-sunset flashing behavior, the relatively large size, and the shape of the marking on the head shield (pronotum).
Regarding the flash pattern details, you filled out the timing measurements correctly. The only adjustment is that flash interval is the time from the endof one flash to the start of the next flash, while flash pattern period is the time from the start of one flash to the start of the next. So, in your case, it seems like the interval might have been about 3 seconds.
A few other small pieces of feedback–
-a photo of the underside of the firefly can be really helpful for identifying the species. Using a plastic sandwich baggy often works well for this.
-Having a sense of scale in inches is better than no scale at all, but millimeters would be preferable for making comparisons. The Firefly Atlas data sheet has a small cm/mm scale bar on the back that you can use as a photo background.