He shouldn't have been there

Squashing a lightning bug is as interesting as it is sad


You killed a defenseless lightning bug? What a jerk!


In my defense, this particular lampyridum had invaded my bedroom right around bedtime. All I saw at first was a medium-sized insect flying around my room. Not wanting to stand for this sort of intrusion, I grabbed a slipper and went into combat mode. The main overhead light was turned off, so all the light in the room was from a small bedside table lamp. I moved into attack position, slipper at the ready, and when the little sucker landed on the ceiling, I wound up and gave him what for.

Just before impact, the bug decided to light up, as lightning bugs are wont to do, but there was no stopping the slipper. The bug subsequently got splattered all over the ceiling, but to my amazement, he stayed lit. This is the interesting part.

So now, I have glowing bug remnants stuck to the ceiling of my bedroom. This is arguably worse than having a flying insect in there in the first place. So at this point, I took the slipper and again flicked his carcass off the ceiling, sending him about 10 feet (glowing the entire way) to the floor where I could scoop him up and give him a proper burial at sea (read: flush). It was easy to locate the bug once it reached the floor, because whatever makes lightning bugs light up was still going. The more interesting part is that there was still glowing bug goop embedded in the paint on the ceiling. I had to reach up to the ceiling with a paper towel to scrub away whatever it was that was glowing.

I'm still not sure what exact kind of reaction is causing a lightning bug's glow, but we can all rest easy knowing that not only does it not stop after the bug's death by blunt force trauma, but it is also contained within whatever goo the bug leaves on the surface. There's your science lesson for the day.