Beetles of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):
Scientific Name: Common Name:

View	LAMPYRIDAE Members:	Members of Lucidota:	39 NC Records
Lucidota atra - No Common Name

Photo by: Vin Stanton

Photo by: Rob Van Epps

Taxonomy

Family: LAMPYRIDAE

Subfamily: Lampyrinae

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Evans (2014); Faust (2017)	Online Resources: BugGuide, iNaturalist
Comments: The elytra are completely black, unlike most night-flying fireflies, which have a yellow outer margin. The pronotum has a central black area -- sometimes covering most of the dorsal surface -- that is typically bordered by an inner narrow stripe of pink and a wider outward band of yellow (Faust, 2017).
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 9-11 mm (Faust, 2017)
Structural Features: The fairly broad, flattened antennae (larger in males) are distinctive. Lucidota punctata is similar but about half the size of atra and has smaller, narrower antennae (Faust, 2017)

Distribution in North Carolina


County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This species occurs in open woodland and shaded open areas (Faust, 2017)

Diet:

Observation Methods: This species is diurnal and does not flash. It flies fairly low and is easily captured using a net (Faust, 2017)

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology: Our records all come from early summer

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5

State Protection: As with other North Carolina insects, no state laws provide them any protection. Permits must be obtained, however, to collect them in State Parks and other nature preserves

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Lucidota atra
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Rowan Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal and Nora Murdock Polk Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Michael P. Morales Cumberland Co. Comment:

Lucidota atra - No Common Name

Photo Gallery for Lucidota atra