Source: http://www.ereferencedesk.com/resources/state-insect/pennsylvania.html
Timestamp: 2017-06-28 09:00:47
Document Index: 202729322

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', '§ 1010', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1010', '§ 1010']

(Photinus Pyralsis) Adopted on April 10, 1974.
Pennsylvania lacked a state insect at the time, so the students entered their selection of an insect to the General Assembly. The firefly,
(Photinus Pyralsis,) was formally designated by an enactment from the Pennsylvania General Assembly on April 10, 1974 as Pennsylvania Official State Insect.
Characteristics of the Pennsylvania Firefly
The Firefly's Glow:
At night, the very end (the last abdominal segment) of the firefly glows a bright yellow-green color. The signal of this firefly is recognizable because it always rises upward as it flashes its bright, yellow light. This rising pattern is formed because Photinus pyralis is quite simple and is based on the time that elapses between its burst of light and the female's responses. The brightness of a single firefly is 1/40 of a candle. Males flash about every five seconds; females flash about every two seconds. The adult fireflies signal each other with their lights and mate. The female's eggs are laid a few days after mating, on or slightly under soil. The eggs hatch in 4 weeks. The larvae, once hatched, begin to feed until fall. They burrow underground and overwinter. Fireflies overwinter as larvae buried in the soil and emerge in the spring to feed. In summer, they pupate for about 2? weeks within a small earthen cell before emerging as adults.
Diet: Fireflies are carnivorous. They eat other insects, small animals in the soil, and snails. Pennsylvania Law
The law designating the firefly as the official Pennsylvania state insect is found in the Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated Statutes, Title 71 (P.S. State Government) Part 1 (The Administrative Codes and Related Provisions) Chapter 6 (Provisions Similar or Closely Related to Provisions of the Administrative Code - Secretary and Department of Internal Affairs - State Emblems Section 1006
§ 1010. State insect
The firefly (Lampyridae Coleoptera) of the species Photuris pensylvanica De Geer is hereby selected, designated and adopted as the official insect of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
CREDIT(S) 1974, April 10, P.L. 247, No. 59, § 1. As amended 1988, Dec. 5, P.L. 1101, No. 130, § 1, effective in 60 days.
The 1988 amendment substituted "(Lampyridae Coleoptera)" of the species Photuris pensylvanica De Geer" for "(Lampyridae)".
An Act selecting, designating and adopting the firefly as the official insect of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 1974, April 10, P.L. 247, No. 59.
71 P.S. § 1010, PA ST 71 P.S. § 1010