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LIST: How many different species of firefly can be found in Virginia?

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LIST: How many different species of firefly can be found in Virginia?


RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — There are nearly 180 documented species of firefly in the United States and Canada, and you can find almost 30 of them lighting up Virginia’s nights.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, an international nonprofit with a focus on protecting invertebrates and their habitats, created a “Firefly Atlas” to document all things firefly.

This unique little beetle is reportedly a key member of food webs and can even be a great indicator of environmental health, according to the society.

The term “firefly” covers a few different kinds of insect — the flashing “lightningbug” many of us know, but also day-time dark fireflies who do not produce light and glow-worms.

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According to the Xerces Society, the day-time fireflies use pheromones instead of light to communicate and the glow-worms’ females use light to attract males, which usually don’t light up, themselves.

Within the atlas, the Xerces Society lists all 176 species and subspecies of firefly within the U.S. and Canada. Of those 176 species and subspecies, 29 have been documented in Virginia.

Keep scrolling to learn a bit about each one.

Scientific Name More Common Name(s)
Pyractomena dispersa “Marsh flicker,” “wiggle dancer”
Photinus pyralis “big dipper,” “common eastern firefly,” “J-stroke firefly”
Pyractomena angulata “Say’s firefly,” “candle firefly,” “angled firefly”
Pyractomena borealis “Spring treetop flasher,” “northern firefly”
Photinus consanguineus “Double cousin”
Pyractomena marginalis “Marginal firefly”
Lucidota atra “Black firefly,” “woodland Lucy”
Photuris quadrifulgens “Spring 4-flasher”
Photinus consimilis “Cattail flash-train firefly”
Photuris lucicrescens “July comets,” “big scaries,” “big-Lucy,” “great crescendo”
Photuris tremulans “Christmas lights,” “confusing firefly”
Photinus corruscus “Winter firefly”
Photinus ignitus “Ignited firefly,” “delayed photinus firefly”
Lucidota punctata “Dotted firefly,” “tiny Lucy”
Photuris versicolor “Variable triple-flash firefly,” “multi-flash predator”
Pyractomena lucifera “Marsh imp”
Photuris frontalis “Snappy single sync firefly”
Photinus sabulosus “Creekside tree blinkers”
Phausis reticulata “Blue ghost,” “Appalachian glow-worm firefly”
Photuris darwini “Darwin’s firefly”
Pyractomena similis “Similar firefly”
Pyractomena palustris “Marsh diver”
Pyropyga nigricans “Black-bordered elf”
Photuris potomaca “Potomac River firefly”
Photuris fairchildi “Cape Breton firefly,” “Fairchild’s predator”
Pyropyga decipiens “Sneaky elf”
Photinus scintillans “Pale firefly,” “yellow-bellied firefly,” “pine barrens firefly”
Pollaclasis bifaria “Branched Polly”
Photinus carolinus “Synchronous firefly,” “Smokies synchronous firefly,” “light show”
Data: The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation’s Firefly Atlas

The Firefly Atlas lists 22 of Virginia’s 29 species as flashing fireflies. Of the remaining seven, six are noted as day-time dark fireflies and there only one glow-worm type: the Phausis reticulata.

Only 33 of the total 176 species and subspecies of firefly are noted to have flightless female fireflies, with an additional five species marked as “sometimes,” “presumed yes” or “presumed no.”

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Of Virginia’s 29 species of firefly, just one of them — the Photinus scintillans — is noted to have flightless female fireflies, though the Pyropyga nigricans is marked as “sometimes” having them. The Pyropyga nigricans are notably the only species in the Firefly Atlas marked as such.

If you’re interested in learning more about fireflies, or if you’d like to report a sighting of your own, you can do so on the Firefly Atlas’ website.



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Colorado, Deion Sanders to hire former highly-touted DC as defensive assistant

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Colorado, Deion Sanders to hire former highly-touted DC as defensive assistant


Colorado is expected to hire former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve as its next linebackers coach, according to CBS Sports. Marve served as the Hokies DC from 2022-2024.

Marve has previous experience on defensive staffs at Vanderbilt, his alma mater, Mississippi State, Florida State and Virginia Tech. He’s been in the coaching industry since 2014 when he was brought on as a defensive assistant with the Commodores.

By the time he left his alma mater in 2018, he had worked his way up to inside linebackers coach. He was brought on at Mississippi State in 2019 as the Bulldogs’ defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach. His run there lasted one year before moving on to coach at Florida State for two seasons as the Seminoles’ linebackers coach.

ACC foe Virginia Tech would poach him away ahead of the 2022 season, where he stayed until he was fired following the 2024 season. He spent the 2025 season away from college football, and will now get another shot by joining Deion Sanders’ staff in 2026.

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His playing days spanned from 2007-2011, where he has a three-time All-SEC linebacker for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Marve also earned Freshman All-American honors in 2008.

He’ll join a Buffaloes program that finished the 2025 season with a 3-9 record, which included a 1-8 record vs. conference opponents. This came in the fallout of their 9-win season led by current Cleveland Browns QB Sheduer Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal

Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. He caught 20 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown this past season.

His 2024 season was a bit better. Miller caught 32 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns prior. He’s shown he can get the job done when there’s some solid quarterback play on offense.

Miller played high school football at Silsbee (Silsbee, TX), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 141 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted algorithm that complies all major recruiting media services.

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Time will tell where he ends up next. There will certainly be plenty of interest in his services when the time comes.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.





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Virginia Democratic operative arrested on child pornography charges

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Virginia Democratic operative arrested on child pornography charges


WARNING: This story contains material some readers may find disturbing due to its graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia Democratic operative is accused of distributing child pornography.

Randon Alexander Sprinkle, 30, allegedly engaged in conversations with an undercover FBI agent in May of this year through the Jack’d app under the name “Randy.”

The 9-page affidavit states that Sprinkle asked the agent to move their conversation to Telegram, where he allegedly wrote “mostly into young, rape, incest – you?”

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The arrest has prompted swift condemnation from elected officals who worked with Sprinkle in various capacities.

Richmond City Council Vice President Katherine Jordan said Sprinkle served as her 2024 campaign treasurer, handling campaign forms, events and financial reporting.

“What has been alleged is disgusting and abhorrent,” Jordan said in a statement. “I’m shocked and sickened.”

1st District Council member Andrew Breton also used Sprinkle’s services for campaign finance reports and event logistics.

“The allegations are shocking and disturbing. I am grateful that law enforcement is involved, and that justice is taking its course,” Breton said.

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Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who has appeared in several photos with Sprinkle that he posted on X, also responded through spokesman Jared Leopold.

“Congresswoman McClellan is shocked by these appalling accusations which should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Leopold stated.

Sprinkle previously served as a leader in the Young Democrats of Virginia and held a financial director position with the Democratic Part of Virginia.

He has also been photographed with Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

The FBI affidavit confirms that 68 files were extracted during a forensic sweep of Sprinkle’s electronic devices, some with disturbing titles. Legal expert Ed Riley said the investigation may have uncovered evidence of distribution through peer-to-peer networks where individuals exchange illegal video files and images.

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If convicted on the single charge of distribution of child pornography, Sprinkle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, with potential sentencing up to 20 years.

“If they find the images and they can connect you to the images, you’re not dealing with the merits of the case anymore. You’re dealing with the resolution that it’s going to be,” Riley said.

Sprinkle is currently being held at the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw.

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.

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Penn State transfer opens the door for a James Franklin reunion at Virginia Tech

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Penn State transfer opens the door for a James Franklin reunion at Virginia Tech


Things are beginning to slow down for James Franklin since being hired at Virginia Tech in November. Sure, you can say that it never really slows down for a college football coach, but since signing his contract in Blacksburg, he has made major strides in recruiting, bringing the Hokies from near the bottom of the FBS to a Top 25 class with the Class of 2026.

Franklin has also been building his first staff at Virginia Tech. In both cases, recruiting and coaching additions, he has gone back to his Penn State roots to pluck both recruits and coaches. Heck, he is even reportedly bringing back former Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry, who was fired in September to open the door for Franklin to come to Tech, as his defensive coordinator.

The transfer portal opens up next month, and there are going to be several needs that Franklin and his staff are going to have to address. There are going to be several portal targets, and one of them announced he was leaving Penn State and made it clear that he was thankful for Franklin for his time in State College. Is it a sign of things to come when he enters the portal?

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Penn State transfer Chaz Coleman opens door for reunion with James Franklin

It was reported by Hayes Fawcett of Rivals and On3 that five-star Penn State edge Chaz Coleman was entering the transfer portal. Coleman quoted the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, and made it a point to thank Franklin and his staff for believing in him.

“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal this coming January to pursue other opportunities. I’d like thank James Franklin and his staff for believing in me and teaching me what it means to believe in myself,” Coleman wrote.

Coleman becomes one of the most coveted players when the portal opens, and the Warren, Ohio native will have no shortage of suitors. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound edge rusher played well as a freshman for the Nittany Lions with eight tackles in five games. Several of the top programs are going to be in on him. Don’t be surprised if Ohio State makes a major push for him.

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As far as Virginia Tech goes, does Franklin get in the mix? That remains to be seen, but stranger things have happened. He would be a tremendous get for the Hokies, who need help along the defensive side of the ball along the line. Did he call out Franklin by coincidence, or is there an underlying message there? Most likely the first one, but we’ll see.





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