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Firefly Larva

Posted by May 5th, 2008 at 12:00 am

Categories

Beetles

Bug ID
What a great site you have. My boy and I so enjoy finding out what the bugs we find are. But here is one we have not been able to ID. It is only about 1⁄2” to 3⁄4” long. Its tail would sometimes curl under while it walked. Its head (on right) would come in and out of its shell (I guess). It would go so far in you could not see it. Thanks for your great site.
Travis and Isaac

Hi Travis and Isaac,
We believe this is a Firefly Larva in the family Lampyridae or a Net-Wing Beetle in the family Lycidae. If the experts at BugGuide are unable to figure this one out, we haven’t a chance.

Update: 905/06/2008)
Daniel:
Also, the larva is that of a firefly, family Lampyridae. No netwing beetle larvae have an extensible “neck” as far as I know. That is an adaptation to enter snail shells, snails being the principal prey of many firefly species.
Eric

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  5. Firefly Larva eats Slug (October 19, 2008)

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