Bug FAQCattail Flash-train Firefly
Photinus consimilis · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Lampyridae
The cattail flash-train firefly is a medium beetle about 10 to 11 mm long and lives in wetlands, streams, riverbanks and marshes.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure roughly 10 to 11 mm (about 0.4 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found in wet habitats such as marshes, along streams, riverbanks and other wetland areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae live below the soil surface, are bioluminescent, and feed on snails, worms and other soft-bodied invertebrates.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
They undergo four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 7 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I tell this firefly apart from others?
Look for a pale yellow head shield with a dark central bar edged in red or pink, and dark wing covers that have light-colored edges.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does the cattail flash-train firefly live?
It lives in wetlands, along streams, riverbanks and marshes, primarily in the eastern United States and extending west to eastern Oklahoma and north to southern Ontario.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The larvae feed on snails, worms and other soft-bodied invertebrates while living below the soil surface.
Source: Wikipedia
When are the adults active?
Adult males fly at eye level or lower, flashing quick light pulses during their mating displays.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lampyridae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photinus_consimilis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.