Photuris versicolor

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Photuris versicolor is a firefly species complex found across the Eastern United States. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Fireflies communicate with light. Each species has a unique flash pattern that males and females use to identify each other.

Female Photuris versicolor can imitate the flash responses of females of other firefly species, allowing them to lure and prey on male fireflies. They often target males such as Photinus pyralis to obtain lucibufagin steroids their prey produces.

Photuris versicolor fireflies are large for the family Lampyridae, about 20–50 mm long. They are strong fliers and have excellent eyesight, especially sensitive to near-UV (380 nm) and green (550 nm) light.

Both sexes glow, but the species is strongly sexually dimorphic: females are larger and have a larger flash organ.

Virgin female Photuris versicolor respond to the triple-flash mating signal of male Photuris versicolor. After mating, females become unresponsive to conspecific males and begin using flash signaling to hunt.