Color Illustrations of Larvae, Pupae,

and Freshly Eclosed Adults.

All photos by J.E. Lloyd, Ph.D.


Prepupal larva of Pyractomena borealis (Randall) with tail glued down, in a head-down position on a tree trunk. The position it selected is perhaps camouflaged by the moss growing on the bark.

Physical models of trees of different diameters. Model fireflies, blackened clay spheres with thermocouples, are positioned in the primary compass directions on each sand-filled photographic jug. In this setup, the influence of tree diameter and height above the cold winter ground was being examined.

A newly eclosed and teneral adult Pyractomena borealis, standing on the tree where it pupated. Its larval and pupal skins are at upper left. White tracheal linings remain attached to the pupal exuvium.

A recently eclosed male Pyractomena borealis, tanned and ready for its first nocturnal flight, stands atop samaras of red maple.

An adult male Pyractomena borealis stands on top of a Py. borealis pupa. Preliminary evidence suggests that males cannot determine the sex of the pupae that they attend.