螢，即熒，發光的意思。二千多年前編著的《爾雅‧釋蟲》 :“螢火，即炤。”(炤義為照)。也是二千多年歷史的《禮 記‧月令》:“腐草為螢”，認為螢火蟲是腐草化成的。四百多年前，李時珍的《本草綱目‧蟲部‧螢火》:“螢火蟲別名有夜光、熠耀、夜照、景天、救火、宵燭、丹鳥等。” 在台灣，螢火蟲又被稱為火金姑，意指發金光的小姑娘。
以分類學而言，螢火蟲歸屬於鞘翅目的螢科、凹眼螢科和光螢科，目前全球已知二千多種。
"Fireflies" is not a taxonomical term. It is also called "lightning bugs". Some authors like to use the term "glowworms" in lieu of "fireflies". However, "glowworms" sometimes also refer to the Keroplatidae (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) in USA, Australia and New-Zealand. Taxanomically, fireflies belongs to family Lampyridae, Rhagophthalmidae and Phengodidae, under order Coleoptera. There are two thousand and more known species in the world.
以分類學而言，螢火蟲歸屬於鞘翅目的螢科、凹眼螢科和光螢科，目前全球已知二千多種。
"Fireflies" is not a taxonomical term. It is also called "lightning bugs". Some authors like to use the term "glowworms" in lieu of "fireflies". However, "glowworms" sometimes also refer to the Keroplatidae (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) in USA, Australia and New-Zealand. Taxanomically, fireflies belongs to family Lampyridae, Rhagophthalmidae and Phengodidae, under order Coleoptera. There are two thousand and more known species in the world.