Willow Calligrapha vs Spring Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Willow Calligrapha Spring Firefly
Scientific Name Calligrapha multipunctata bigsbyana Photinus ardens
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Lampyridae
Size 7-9 mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Wetlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Willow Calligrapha

A subspecies of Calligrapha with pale elytra marked with elongated dark spots and dashes. It is associated with willow trees along waterways in North America.

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Did You Know?

Calligrapha beetles are a model system for studying pattern formation in biology, as no two individuals share the same elytral markings.

Spring Firefly

A small early-season firefly of the eastern United States with a distinctive fast double-pulse flash pattern. It has a dark body with a pinkish-red pronotum and is among the first fireflies to appear each year.

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Did You Know?

This species often begins flashing earlier in the evening than most other North American fireflies.