Photo by Drees. Females of some species are wingless and appear similar to larvae. They pupate in the spring and emerge in early summer. After mating females lay spherical eggs singly or in groups in damp soil. The life cycle of most species takes two years.
Mouthparts are for chewing.
Immature stages of lightning beetles are predatory on other small insects, earthworms, slugs and snails. Adults of some species are also predatory. Adults produce light to find mates and some species use light to attract other species of lightning bugs as prey. Adults of some species apparently do not feed. Common in open areas near woods.