Q: Are there any bioluminescent plant or animal species in Indiana?
A: Sadly, Indiana’s roster of glow-in-the-dark life is sparse. The most common, by far, is the firefly. We host around 40 varieties, including the Say’s firefly, our official state insect. Interestingly, while many species flash lights at night, some types, called dark fireflies, don’t light up at all. However, all firefly larvae glow continuously, earning the nickname glowworms. Beyond fireflies, Indiana offers few other bioluminescent species. The gills of the bright orange, poisonous jack-o’-lantern mushroom glow faintly, only noticeable if it’s really dark and your eyes are well-adjusted. And if you split open a rotten log on a dark night, you might catch a faint green glow from fungal threads (mycelium) inside the wood. But that’s about it. If you want a nighttime light show, buy some bottle rockets.
