Photo: Pyractomena species firefly, Judy Gallagher
During the pandemic we’ve had to cancel our regular wildlife surveys but some long-time participants are going out individually on an ad hoc basis to continue collecting data. Judy Gallagher is one of those folks who also captures photos of what she sees, in particular the less common species. Here are two observations from her most recent survey.
Most of you have been fortunate enough to see Fireflies (aka Lightning Bugs or Lampyrid Beetles) flashing their luminescent abdomens on summer evenings, but how many of you have seen a larval Firefly? In late winter, Pyractomena species larvae venture out on warm winter days. They glue their tails to the bark and hang head down preparing themselves for pupation on large south-facing trees. Adults hatch in early March and spend most of their relatively short adult life in treetops. This larva was seen in early February at Occoquan Regional Park.
Pyractomena species firefly, Judy Gallagher
The Versute Leafhopper, Graphocephala versuta, is more normally seen at warmer times of year, but a few come out on warm winter days to feed on woody plants. It is tiny, only .15 to .25 inches long. It doesn't look like much to the naked eye but is quite colorful when viewed under magnification. Like other leafhoppers, it emits bubbles of liquid waste called honeydew because of the high sugar content of its diet. Wasps, ants and flies love honeydew. This leafhopper was seen at Meadowood on February 10.
Versute Leafhopper (Graphocephala versuta), Judy Gallagher