Are They Lightning Bugs Or Fireflies? Southerners Know The Answer

Summertime in the South is synonymous with the twinkling, light-up beetles that linger in the bushes, on the edge of the woods, or just beyond the lake. Those floating incandescent insects that are harmless only come out during a short period in the summer and are known by many names—most commonly either lightning bugs or fireflies. Both terms refer to the same family of insects, though we've also heard other creative labels such as firebugs, candle flies, or lamp bugs. Turns out what they're called is distinctly regional, and Southerners have a preference.

Why Lightning Bugs Glow

Whatever you call them, these glowing beetles light up for a very specific purpose, and it's not to add ambiance to your porch hangout or so you can capture them after dark. During twilight, fireflies light up to attract mates. There are around 120 species in North America and 2,400 around the world. While all of them glow as larvae, not all of them do as adults. Some flash patterns to attract and respond to partners, and to identify their own species. They are capable of light through bioluminescence, which is generated by a chemical reaction in special light-producing organs in their abdomens.

Many might remember heading out with a Mason jar in hand as a child, chasing them and hoping to catch one for good luck. Harder than it looks. Others might have heard of the synchronous fireflies of the Great Smoky Mountains that create a wondrous display of synchronized blinking lights (blinking butts, some joke) each summer for the world to see. A recent discovery of synchronous fireflies on North Carolina's Grandfather Mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountains means there are more opportunities to view these rare populations.

What To Call Them: Fireflies vs. Lightning Bugs

Turns out, there is a good chance that whatever you call them has a lot more to do with who you are and where you spent your childhood than the insects themselves. Southerners and Midwesterners will most likely be referring to the illuminated flying beetles as "lightning bugs." Head further out West, past the desert roads of West Texas, and more folks call them "fireflies." Here and there on the margins (in the Northeast, Texas, and Florida, for example), people might use the terms interchangeably, but the vast majority comes down to regional preference. Many Southerners are decidedly Team Lightning Bugs. It's just how it is.

Where The Names Originated

Some researchers attribute the difference in nomenclature to weather—of all things. The South and Midwest receive the majority of lightning across the nation, while the West (sadly) sees the most wildfires. However, we feel more simple about it. If that's what Granny called it when showing you the magical light-up beetles for the first time ever, that's what you probably call it.

How To Catch And Release Lightning Bugs

Catching lightning bugs is a favorite summer pastime. If you are drawn to catching them, do so with care, advises the experts at Firefly Conservation and Research. Catch them gently and release them into the wild after a closer look. Don't keep them for longer than a day because they don't live very long, and they need to find a mate. If you do put them in an old jar for any amount of time, make sure they have some moisture from a wet paper towel or piece of apple.