White-Gloved Howdy vs Green Lacewing Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute White-Gloved Howdy Green Lacewing Firefly
Scientific Name Isonychia sadleri Photinus scintillans
Order Ephemeroptera Coleoptera
Family Isonychiidae Lampyridae
Size 12-16 mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Grasslands
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

White-Gloved Howdy

Named for the white tips of its forelegs resembling gloves. Nymphs are powerful swimmers found in fast-flowing Appalachian streams.

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Did You Know?

The distinctive white-tipped forelegs are visible even in flight, giving rise to the fanciful common name.

Green Lacewing Firefly

A small firefly with a bright green flash and a dark body with yellowish pronotal borders. Males produce a brief twinkling flash while flying low over grasslands and meadows.

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Did You Know?

The word scintillans means sparkling, referring to the brief twinkling quality of this species' distinctive flash.