Glowing Fire Beetle from Puerto Rico

Subject: 1 in wbeetle with glowing eyes
Location: Puerto Rico
April 16, 2017 2:22 am
Saw this beetle in Puerto Rico- glow in the dark eyes like lightening bug color and about 1 inch long
Signature: Katie darrow

Fire Beetle

Dear Katie,
Based on some research we did many years ago, we learned that Fire Beetles in the genus
Pyrophorus are sometimes called Cucujos.  What you have mistaken for glowing eyes are in fact just eyespots.  The Fire Beetle’s true eyes do not glow.

2 thoughts on “Glowing Fire Beetle from Puerto Rico”

  1. The “fire beetle” is a cucubano. They (pyrophorus beetles) can sometimes glow from underside as well as those “eye” spots.

    Cucullos (proper spelling) are just like fireflies of the north American mainland, and they are also abundant in rural area of Puerto Rico.

    Reply
  2. The “fire beetle” is a cucubano. They (pyrophorus beetles) can sometimes glow from underside as well as those “eye” spots.

    Cucullos (proper spelling) are just like fireflies of the north American mainland, and they are also abundant in rural area of Puerto Rico.

    Reply

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