April Fireflies
Photinus corruscus
Winter Firefly
Common
The Winter Firefly is a chunky day-active firefly, and you might see it in March, April, or May hanging out on the sunny side of a large tree in the woods, or maybe flying around looking for a mate. These fireflies do not flash, and it’s thought that they find a mate using pheromones.
Pyractomena borealis
Spring Treetop Flasher
Common
April is the time to start going out at night and looking up! Starting late March and going into May, the Spring Treetop Flashers are flying and flashing in the treetops. They are the earliest firefly to flash in the spring! Flashing starts 30 to 90 minutes after sunset. Look for a single, warm yellow flash, repeating every 2 to 3 seconds.
Photuris quadrifulgens
Spring 4-Flasher
Common
Look for Spring 4-Flashers flying about 3 feet over the grass in agricultural areas, meadows, or old fields, starting in late April. You can identify them by their 4 slow flashes in a flash train that lasts about 2 seconds. There will be another train of 4 flashes after about 4 seconds of darkness. Spring 4-Flashers fly about 1.5 to 2.5 hours after sunset.
Pyractomena dispersa
Marsh Flicker
Uncommon
​Marsh Flickers can be found in wet areas such as swamps, marshes, and wet fields. They are believed to be widespread, but possibly in decline because of habitat loss. More information about populations is desperately needed. Marsh Flicker males fly low, giving a single, faint yellow-orange flickering flash or possibly a stronger single flash. The flash repeats every 3 to 7 seconds. Look for them 35 minutes after sunset for about 2 hours.
Phausis inaccensa
Shadow Ghost
Rare
Shadow Ghosts are rarely seen, so you need to be looking for them! Both males and females are tiny (4 - 6 mm), about the size of a grain of rice. Males fly in forests about 40 to 60 minutes after sunset in April, May, and June, but they're hard to see because they have no lanterns and they don't flash or glow. Look for a steady green glow coming from the ground, and you will have found a female Shadow Ghost. The females are larviform, which means that they look like a larva.
Phausis luminosa
Luminous Ghost
Rare
Luminous Ghosts are similar to Shadow Ghosts - they are tiny and the females are believed to be larviform. However, the males have lanterns on their abdomen, so they likely flash or glow. Not much is known about these fireflies! They likely are active in April and May. They were described in Arkansas and Oklahoma many years ago, but there have been no recent sightings.
Photinus punctulatus
Punctate Firefly
Rare
The Punctate Firefly is a rare species known only from the Midwest. We have one historical record from Hempstead County in Arkansas. Not much is known about this firefly, but it could be active starting in late April and into the summer. Look for it at night flying 3 to 6 feet over the ground in lawns and meadows, over long grass. This species is a “fast flasher,” with males displaying single quick yellow flashes about 1 second apart.
Pyractomena palustris
Marsh Diver
Rare
Like the Marsh Flicker, the Marsh Diver lives in wet areas such as swamps, marshes, and wet fields. Scientists don’t know much about these fireflies or their distribution, so getting more data is critically important. It may be challenging to know if you’re seeing a Marsh Diver or a Marsh Flicker, since they could both be active in the same habitat and the same time of year, starting late April. Both species have a single flash and fly low to the ground, but the Marsh Diver tends to have a crescendo flash - starting faint and getting brighter towards the end – and it dives downward during the flash. Also, if you are able to catch one, you might be able to see some physical differences. The Marsh Diver has black marks on the sides of its pronotum (head shield), while the Marsh Flicker does not, and the Marsh Flicker has darker elytra (wing covers).