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Insect Ecology @ Au Sable - spring 2026

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Posted by David on January 01, 2015

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Just creating this blog as a forum for student blog posts during the 2015 spring semester at SNU.

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Family Lampyridae, Fireflies, or the ever elusive Lightning Bugs

The experience that has been on the top of my bucket list since I can remember was watching the fireflies lighting up during a Midwestern summer. The “lightning bug” or the “firefly” is in the family Lampyridae , order Coleoptera, Suborder Polyphaga, Infraorder Elateriformia, and superfamily Elateroidea. Lampyridae are medium-sized brown or black beetles, often with red and yellow coloration. A distinguishable characteristic is their ability to emit light during the mating season, which attracts the opposite sex during the evening after dusk (Hess 39). Most of the species of fireflies are bioluminescent during the larval and adult stages, except one species ( Pyropyga fenestralis ), which only emits lights during the larval stage (Hess 39). They are often nocturnal, but can be diurnal . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly#/media/File:Photuris_lucicrescens.jpg Fireflies are...

From Water Tigers to Deadly Divers: Dytiscidae

Plop. After surfacing briefly for a respite of fresh air, the expert diver submerges into the murky deep. Soon spotting the fish of interest, he darts forward, his legs moving in strong, coordinated strokes. Stealthily approaching his target (which rivals him in size), he fearlessly charges for the kill. The prey writhes and wriggles helplessly as the diver sinks his prong-like mandibles into its flesh. The predacious diving beetle’s excursion was successful; dinner has been secured. Predacious diving beetles belong to the family Dytiscidae , which is derived from the Greek root word dytikos, which means “able to dive,” aptly describing the impressive ability of these little aquatic predators. This family encompasses over 4,000 described species. Adults generally range in si...

Odonata as Bioindicators

Photo of Dragonfly by Northeast Regional Conservation Needs Dragonflies and damselflies are carnivorous insects under the order Odonata. They play a significant role in ecosystems such as the wetlands. As both nymphs and adults they are predators to many different species. They can feed on mayflies, midges, moths, and mosquitos. They are also an important food source to birds, bats, lizards, and spiders. Dragonflies and damselflies are not only significant to the freshwater ecosystems, but are indicators of “ecological health, ecological integrity, and environmental change, including climate change, as well as indicators of habitat recovery” ( Simaika, 2011 ). These insects can be used to assess the effects of pollution or alterations in different types of habitats, and help keep the environment healthy. In comparison to other macroinvert...

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