Observation: Photinus
Primary Observer:
Richard Joyce
Event Date:
2026-05-12
Status:
Unreviewed
Survey
Site Name:
North Carolina Botanical Garden- Streamside Trail
Province/State:
North Carolina
Event Date:
2026-05-12
Time of Day:
Night-Time
Start Time:
20:06
End Time:
21:25
Number of Observers:
27
Primary Observer:
Richard Joyce
Additional Observers:
Various Firefly Field Night participants
target_species_genus:
unknown
target_species_species:
unknown
Location and Habitat
Location Accuracy (meters):
25-50
Habitat Type:
Woodland/Forest - Trees dominant, and in the over-story
Habitat Type Notes:
Forest along a creek, with sycamore, locust, pawpaw, American beech, hard maple, black walnut, Virginia creeper, poison ivy, clover, May apple, and snakeweed.
Elevation (meters):
81
Area Searched (hectares):
0.15
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:
The tree canopy was fairly closed, so there may have been sky glow that was not detected.
Observation
Observation Type:
Without Flash Data
Number Observed:
2-10
genus:
photinus
Species:
unknown
Observation Notes:
A Photinus consanguineus complex female was caught from low vegetation around 9:05 PM. A flash dialogue seemed to have taken place in the area around the female before we caught her. A flash timing voice recording showed very variable flash pattern periods, ranging from 1.5 seconds to 13.1 seconds; this may have been because flashes were actually from multiple individuals or because a female was flashing irregularly.
mGDD accumulation= 973 (Chapel Hill 2 W station. 86/50 F formula)
