Contrary to popular thought, the firefly is not a bug or fly. The firefly belongs to the beetle family. They have soft shelled bodies, which are flat and brown or black in color.
Most fireflies also have orange or yellow markings on their backside or head areas.
Fireflies belong to a group of luminescent North American beetles, which are able to give off light signals by means of chemical reaction. Organs located in the abdomen of the firefly display bright flashes of light, which are used as a means of communication. Fireflies give off light in a rhythmic pattern to attract mates or send a warning signal to others. There are more than 170 different species of fireflies in the United States. Fireflies live on every continent in the world, except Antarctica.