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What the sources say

Common Eastern FireflyPhotinus pyralis

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Common Eastern Firefly profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 50 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Walker 2021

Walker (2021). Photinus pyralis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T164046430A166771623.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: stats.conservationStatus; GBIF copy of the Red List, taxon id checked in the DOI
The page saysNo. The IUCN Red List rates the species Least Concern.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).

Source
02

Fallon et al. 2018

Fallon et al. (2018). Firefly genomes illuminate parallel origins of bioluminescence in beetles. eLife.

The page saystakes flight and gives one flash of about 300 milliseconds roughly every 5 to 10 seconds
The source saysMales initiate courtship by flying low above the ground while repeating a single ~300 ms patrol flash at ~5–10 s intervalsNote: field: habitat generalist claim, fields listed
The page saysAs he dips down and then rises, his light traces a J shape
The source saysMales emit their patrol flash while dipping down and then ascending vertically, creating a distinctive J-shaped flash gesture
The page saysA female of his species perches on a plant and answers with a single flash after a delay of 2 to 3 seconds
The source saysfemales perch on vegetation and respond to a male patrol flash by twisting their abdomen toward the source of the flash and giving a single response flash given after a 2–3 s delay
The page saysMale Common Eastern Fireflies carry lucibufagins in their hemolymph, the insect version of blood
The source saysAnti-predator chemical defenses of male P. pyralis include several bufadienolides, known as lucibufagins, that circulate in the hemolymphNote: 'the insect version of blood' is a gloss of hemolymph; Cornell 1997 calls it 'firefly blood'
The page saysWhen a male is attacked, he releases copious amounts of hemolymph that coagulates rapidly
The source saysWhen attacked, P. pyralis males release copious amounts of rapidly coagulating hemolymph
The page saysThis reflex bleeding may also give him physical protection against small predators
The source sayssuch ‘reflex-bleeding’ may also provide physical protection against small predators
The page saysThe first luciferase gene was cloned from this species
The source saysthe first luciferase gene was cloned from this species
The page saysluciferase is now widely used as a reporter in biomedical research
The source saysled to the widespread use of luciferase as a reporter with unique applications in biomedical research and industry
The page saysAdults live 2 to 3 weeks
The source saysAdult P. pyralis live 2–3 weeks
The page saysthey are typically considered non-feeding, though both sexes have been reported drinking milkweed nectar
The source saysalthough these adults are typically considered non-feeding, both sexes have been reported drinking nectar from the flowers of the milkweed Asclepias syriaca
The page saysMated females lay roughly 30 to 50 eggs on moss or moist soil
The source saysMated females store sperm and lay ~30–50 eggs over the course of a few days on moss or in moist soil.
The page saysthe eggs take 2 to 3 weeks to hatch
The source saysThe eggs take 2–3 weeks to hatch.
The page saysThey live on and beneath the soil and appear to specialize in earthworms
The source saysP. pyralis larvae are predatory, live on and beneath the soil, and appear to be earthworm specialists
The page saysIn the northern parts of the range, slower development likely requires them to overwinter at least twice
The source saysIn the northern parts of its range, slower development likely requires P. pyralis to overwinter at least twice, most likely as larvae.
The page saysThe species is a habitat generalist
The source saysA habitat generalist, P. pyralis occurs in fields, meadows, suburban lawns, forests, and woodland edges, and even urban environments.
The page saysIt turns up in fields, meadows, suburban lawns, forests and woodland edges, and even in cities such as New York and Washington D.C
The source saysP. pyralis occurs in fields, meadows, suburban lawns, forests, and woodland edges, and even urban environments. For example, the authors have observed P. pyralis flashing in urban New York City and Washington D.C.
The page saysIt is found with confidence from roughly Connecticut to Texas
The source saysP. pyralis is found with confidence roughly from Connecticut to Texas
The page sayswhose males trace a J of light at dusk
The source saysMales emit their patrol flash while dipping down and then ascending vertically, creating a distinctive J-shaped flash gestureNote: tagline; dusk from the same source: "At dusk males take flight"
The page saysbleed defensive steroids when attacked
The source saysWhen attacked, P. pyralis males release copious amounts of rapidly coagulating hemolymphNote: tagline; steroids = lucibufagins circulating in the hemolymph, claimed in the body
The page saysFields, meadows, lawns and woodland edges, roughly from Connecticut to Texas
The source saysP. pyralis occurs in fields, meadows, suburban lawns, forests, and woodland edges, and even urban environments.Note: stats.habitat; range in the next claim
The page saysroughly from Connecticut to Texas
The source saysP. pyralis is found with confidence roughly from Connecticut to TexasNote: stats.habitat
The page saysLarvae appear to specialize in earthworms
The source saysP. pyralis larvae are predatory, live on and beneath the soil, and appear to be earthworm specialistsNote: stats.diet
The page saysadults are typically considered non-feeding
The source saysalthough these adults are typically considered non-feedingNote: stats.diet
The page saysbleed defensive steroids
The source saysWhen attacked, P. pyralis males release copious amounts of rapidly coagulating hemolymphNote: stats.superpower; the steroids circulate in the hemolymph per the lucibufagin claim
The page saysOnly two to three weeks as an adult.
The source saysAdult P. pyralis live 2–3 weeks
The page saysBefore that it is a hunting larva on and beneath the soil
The source saysP. pyralis larvae are predatory, live on and beneath the soil
The page saysin the north slow growth likely means at least two winters, most likely spent as a larva
The source saysIn the northern parts of its range, slower development likely requires P. pyralis to overwinter at least twice, most likely as larvae.Note: 'in the north' for 'In the northern parts of its range'; 'slow growth' for 'slower development'
The page saysThe larvae are the predators
The source saysP. pyralis larvae are predatoryNote: adults are typically considered non-feeding, per the claim above
The page saysA female Common Eastern Firefly answers a male's flash after a delay of 2 to 3 seconds
The source saysfemales perch on vegetation and respond to a male patrol flash by twisting their abdomen toward the source of the flash and giving a single response flash given after a 2–3 s delayNote: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim "A female of his species perches on a plant and answers with "
The page saystags: chemical-defense
The source saysAnti-predator chemical defenses of male P. pyralis include several bufadienolides, known as lucibufagins, that circulate in the hemolymphNote: task #1009; the next sentence of the same paragraph: 'When attacked, P. pyralis males release copious amounts of rapidly coagulating hemolymph'. Same reading as the seven-spot ladybird's reflex bleeding (#998)

Source
03

Eisner et al. 1997

Eisner et al. (1997). Firefly “femmes fatales” acquire defensive steroids (lucibufagins) from their firefly prey. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysFemales of the genus Photuris prey on males of the genus Photinus, which includes this species, by imitating the reply of a Photinus female
The source saysFemale fireflies of the genus Photuris, the so-called firefly "femmes fatales," prey on male fireflies of the genus Photinus. The females are able to entrap the males by faking the flash signal characteristics of the Photinus female.Note: the species is Photinus pyralis, the genus is in its binomial
The page saysHer meal gives her more than food
The source saysWe found that by feeding on Photinus males, Photuris females gain more than nutrients.
The page saysFemale Photuris are unable to make lucibufagins, the defensive steroids that Photinus males carry
The source saysThey also acquire defensive steroidal pyrones called lucibufagins, which are contained in Photinus but which Photuris fireflies are unable to produce on their own.Note: the next sentence has its own claim
The page saysPhidippus jumping spiders reject a Photuris female that has eaten a male or been fed the chemical
The source saysPhoturis females that eat Photinus males or lucibufagin are rejected by Phidippus jumping spiders.
The page saysThey acquire them by eating the males
The source saysby feeding on Photinus males, Photuris females gain more than nutrients. They also acquire defensive steroidal pyrones called lucibufagins
The page saysOther fireflies fake replies like this
The source saysThe females are able to entrap the males by faking the flash signal characteristics of the Photinus female.Note: genus scope: the source names Photinus females, not P. pyralis

Source
04

Segelken 1997

Segelken (1997). Lured and liquidated, gullible male fireflies supply 'femmes fatales' with a lifesaving chemical. Cornell Chronicle.

The page saysThat gap is the password
The source saysThe password from the female of the appropriate species is encoded in the time-delay between the male's flash pattern and her single flash response
The page saysA male who flies down to meet her can become her meal
The source saysthe femmes fatales fireflies are luring males close enough to eat them
The page saysLucibufagins closely resemble the bufalin steroids in the venom of poisonous Chinese toads, so Cornell researchers built the name from the Latin words for "light" and "toad"
The source saysBecause the fireflies' defensive compound was found to have a close chemical resemblance to bufalin steroids in the venom of poisonous Chinese toads, the Cornell researchers combined the Latin terms for "light" and "toad," respectively, and coined the word, "lucibufagin."
The page saysMales flash a timed courtship code
The source saysThe password from the female of the appropriate species is encoded in the time-delay between the male's flash pattern and her single flash responseNote: stats.superpower
The page saysNo. Entomologists regard fireflies as beetles, not true flies.
The source sayswhich entomologists regard as beetles, not true flies
The page saysthat gap is the password
The source saysThe password from the female of the appropriate species is encoded in the time-delay between the male's flash pattern and her single flash responseNote: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim "That gap is the password"

Source
05

McKenzie

McKenzie. Photinus pyralis. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysAt dusk, a male Common Eastern Firefly takes flight
The source saysAt dusk males take flight while females wait perched on the ground or in bushes.
The page saysThe light comes from the last segment of the abdomen, which flashes yellow-green
The source saysThe last segment of the abdomen is the section that lights up, flashing bright yellow-green.
The page saysIt runs on a reaction in which the enzyme luciferase oxidizes a molecule called luciferin, using ATP, the energy molecule cells run on, plus magnesium and oxygen
The source saysThe firefly produces light in the presence of oxygen, magnesium, and adenosine triphosphate by using an enzyme, luciferase, to oxidize a complex organic compound, luciferin.Note: 'the energy molecule cells run on' is a gloss of ATP
The page saysthis insect is a beetle
The source saysThe common eastern firefly is, in fact, not a fly, but a type of beetle.
The page says10 to 14 mm long
The source saysRange length 10 to 14 mm
The page saysA beetle
The source saysThe common eastern firefly is, in fact, not a fly, but a type of beetle.Note: tagline

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.