Look, a firefly?

 Look, a firefly, I told myself as I was passing the plateau goldeneye yesterday in our back yard. But darn it, the insect flew away. I was VERY disappointed. Then another one (or the same one) landed on a goldeneye leaf that was within easy reach. Bingo–I snapped at least five photos and shared my observation with iNaturalist. Later, I was looking at the photos. Hmm, those antennae sure were long. Longer than what a firefly has… 

In the meantime, someone on iNaturalist IDed my “firefly”–Dylobolus rotundicollis (Mecas rotundicollis on Bugguide.net), a firefly-mimicking longhorn beetle! This beetle even has a luminescent-mimicking abdomen. It’s believed that the larvae feed on the roots and stems of asters and other members of Asteraceae. Like plateau goldeneye in our yard. Amazing!