# 5268 - 2018 First-Class Forever Stamp - Bioluminescent Life: Firefly
US #5268
2018 Firefly – Bioluminescent Life
- Pictures a bioluminescent firefly
- One of 10 stamps showcasing the wonders of bioluminescence in nature
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bioluminescent Life
Value: 50¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: February 22, 2018
First Day City: Fort Pierce, Florida
Quantity Issued: 40,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper, block tag
Other: These stamps are highly reflective with a rainbow holographic-style effect
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate different organisms capable of generating their own light (bioluminescent).
About the stamp design: Pictures an existing photograph of a bioluminescent firefly taken by Gail Shumway.
Rainbow reflectivity: According to the USPS, these stamps were “produced using a proprietary rainbow holograph material that is highly reflective in white light. The stamps were produced using special techniques to enhance the reflective qualities of the material while maintaining the depth of color and detail of the individual images. The rainbow pattern imparts a sense of movement and light to the stamp pane.”
About the Bioluminescent Life set: Includes 10 designs picturing existing photographs of bioluminescent organisms taken by Dr. Edith Widder, Taylor F. Lockwood, Gail Shumway, and Steve Haddock. The creatures pictured are: deep ocean octopus, midwater jellyfish, deep sea comb jelly, mushroom, firefly, bamboo coral, marine worm, crown jellyfish, a different marine worm, and a sea pen.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce, Florida, not far from the Ocean Research and Conservation Association headquarters (ORCA). The organization’s CEO and Senior Scientist, Dr. Edith Widder, provided photographs for seven of the stamps images and was also in attendance at the First Day of Issue Ceremony.
History the stamp represents: On warm summer evenings as day turns to night, we can see bioluminescence at work in our own backyards as fireflies light up the dark.
Part of the beetle family, fireflies are found in mild and tropical climates. There are about 2,000 species of fireflies around the world. Sometimes called lightning bugs, they prefer wet, wooded areas where their larvae will find lots of food. While most species of fireflies are nocturnal (active at night) and produce a glow, there are some species that are diurnal (active during the day) and do not glow, or produce a very faint glow.
Fireflies emit light from their lower abdomens that may be yellow, green, or pale red. Firefly larvae also glow, and are sometimes called glowworms. The larvae likely glow to ward off predators, while the adults glow as part of the mating process. They produce steady glows and flashes to communicate with potential mates. In some areas, groups of fireflies synchronize their flashes, creating elaborate light shows.
There are also some fireflies that use their glow for deception. Female Photuris fireflies copy the flashes of other species to attract and then eat their males. Because of this, they are sometimes called femme fatale fireflies. Whether for mating or deception, fireflies offer one of the few bioluminescent light displays we can easily see on land.
US #5268
2018 Firefly – Bioluminescent Life
- Pictures a bioluminescent firefly
- One of 10 stamps showcasing the wonders of bioluminescence in nature
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bioluminescent Life
Value: 50¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: February 22, 2018
First Day City: Fort Pierce, Florida
Quantity Issued: 40,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper, block tag
Other: These stamps are highly reflective with a rainbow holographic-style effect
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate different organisms capable of generating their own light (bioluminescent).
About the stamp design: Pictures an existing photograph of a bioluminescent firefly taken by Gail Shumway.
Rainbow reflectivity: According to the USPS, these stamps were “produced using a proprietary rainbow holograph material that is highly reflective in white light. The stamps were produced using special techniques to enhance the reflective qualities of the material while maintaining the depth of color and detail of the individual images. The rainbow pattern imparts a sense of movement and light to the stamp pane.”
About the Bioluminescent Life set: Includes 10 designs picturing existing photographs of bioluminescent organisms taken by Dr. Edith Widder, Taylor F. Lockwood, Gail Shumway, and Steve Haddock. The creatures pictured are: deep ocean octopus, midwater jellyfish, deep sea comb jelly, mushroom, firefly, bamboo coral, marine worm, crown jellyfish, a different marine worm, and a sea pen.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce, Florida, not far from the Ocean Research and Conservation Association headquarters (ORCA). The organization’s CEO and Senior Scientist, Dr. Edith Widder, provided photographs for seven of the stamps images and was also in attendance at the First Day of Issue Ceremony.
History the stamp represents: On warm summer evenings as day turns to night, we can see bioluminescence at work in our own backyards as fireflies light up the dark.
Part of the beetle family, fireflies are found in mild and tropical climates. There are about 2,000 species of fireflies around the world. Sometimes called lightning bugs, they prefer wet, wooded areas where their larvae will find lots of food. While most species of fireflies are nocturnal (active at night) and produce a glow, there are some species that are diurnal (active during the day) and do not glow, or produce a very faint glow.
Fireflies emit light from their lower abdomens that may be yellow, green, or pale red. Firefly larvae also glow, and are sometimes called glowworms. The larvae likely glow to ward off predators, while the adults glow as part of the mating process. They produce steady glows and flashes to communicate with potential mates. In some areas, groups of fireflies synchronize their flashes, creating elaborate light shows.
There are also some fireflies that use their glow for deception. Female Photuris fireflies copy the flashes of other species to attract and then eat their males. Because of this, they are sometimes called femme fatale fireflies. Whether for mating or deception, fireflies offer one of the few bioluminescent light displays we can easily see on land.