Lampyridae Pyropyga nigricans
So you think we don't have fireflies in Utah? Well, we do. Some people have even reported seeing the kind that light up, which
this one does not do. These tiny beetles have been flying around in my back yard in the morning for years at low elevation crashing
into cats, chairs, me or whatever gets in their way. Their wings come out from under their tiny covers (elytra) as they take off. The
covers just kind of hang there creating drag as they soar across the tops of the grasses like cargo planes with one too many tanks on
board. When they land on a blade of grass they canvass both sides looking for insects to munch on. They are beneficial predators,
extremely interesting to watch and, because of their size, hard to photograph. They only stand still when they're munching on
something. I had wondered about them for years and it just hit me the other day that I needed to know their name. Thanks to
Bugguide.net for helping me identify this neat and beautiful insect. © Carol Davis, June 29, 2008
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