Lightning Bugs

[Husabud]

As far back as I can remember Lightning Bugs have filled my summers, more when I was a kid in the country than now, but there doesn't seem to be as many as there used to be. Now that I have children, three and five, I want them to enjoy some of the same summer experiences. Are there certain plants or environmental needs for these blinking bugs?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I grew up in Texas and they were everywhere. Here in Louisiana, I don't seem to see them so much.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Here you would see them around water, but the aerial spraying of the rice fields wiped them out a lot. When that was stopped they made a comeback, and in areas where efforts have been made to better provide them with a suitable environment, they have come back in large numbers. Apparently, there are certain things that man can do to make them happier and more likely to increase their populations.

 

[SkwerI]

The mosquito spraying around populated areas wipes them out. You will probably have better luck finding them in sparsely populated areas.

 

[Al Smith]

We don't see them too much untill more towards August .

 

[sotc]

They don't live here, I seen them in the midwest once

 

[MasterBlaster]

Too cold.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Wish we had them here as I would love to have my kids experience the same fun I had growing up visiting the family in the midwest. Awesome times.

 

[Bodean]

I used to see them in South Carolina growing up in the late summer.

 

[PCTREE]

I moved to the US when I was 21. Many things that we take for granted were awesome to me back then. I remember going out to a party in the country and seeing a whole field blinking and being absolutely floored by it (enhanced by me being stoned). Another thing I loved was when the blooms got on tulip poplars, just couldn't believe how beautiful they were... The first box elder I cut down, wow so purdy wood. Now I just go to work to pay the bills and miss all the wonder.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm never out at night to see that stuff.

 

[Al Smith]

From what I read only the males can fly and have the light producing organs as a general rule .They only live long enough to produce then they die .

Interesting their bodies contain a compound which makes them almost immune to being eaten by birds etc .Evidently it makes the predaters quite ill from dining on a fire fly ,a lesson they soon won't forget .

 

[woodworkingboy]

I had never seen one until I came to Asia. Do they exist in California?

 

[Husabud]

Wow, almost a yr to the day, and there are more of those blinking bugs in my yard than ever. 4 and 6 now and they both love our lightning bugs. Me too!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I wish we had em!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Ditto.. My kids would love that.

 

[Steve Mack]

Evidently we have them or something similar but I've never seen them. http://australianmuseum.net.au/Blue-Mountains-Firefly They mainly live in rainforest areas so that's probably why, and about the time they come out I'm a bit busy.

Be fun to see though. $20 and an hours drive I can. http://www.forestoftranquility.com/events.php The $20 is ok but that's a busy road to get there, so I'll settle for a video at present.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MTsPujrOiKs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Porkbrick]

we do have a kind of glow worm here in california. not as spectacular as the firefly, but very cool none the less. ive always found them in the leaf litter under oaks on summer evenings. sometimes 5 or 6 in an area. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Yl5IyVTZWC0?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Cool! Never seen one before...

 

[Porkbrick]

not to mention the jack-o-lantern mushroom!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Thats wild!

 

[Porkbrick]

the glow worms are easy to miss. they are down in the leaves and you can only see them if you are in just the right place. i remember trying to dig them out to find out what the heck was glowing and having a hell of a time finding the buggers. soon as you turn on a light they disappear! i dont know if they live at your elevation though.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I never knew such critters existed!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

We are too dry for them here Jamie

 

[Porkbrick]