Fireflies, or lightening bugs as they are sometimes called, are lighting up my night sky this week. The fireflies here are the largest and most numerous I have ever seen. Last night I could see the fireflies all the way across the valley and on the other side of the hills.
The fireflies were so bright the sky looked like it was being invaded by brilliantly lit spaceships. Nighttime temperatures must be above 50 F for fireflies to come out. Adult fireflies live for only 21 days so the next few weeks I'll be watching every night for their displays. Here the fireflies are high in the treetops and low to the ground. Other places I've seen them they have only been near the ground.
Fireflies communicate with their lights and they produce a cold light with no infrared or ultraviolet light. All larval fireflies glow. Some groups of fireflies are able to synchronize their flashes.
A forest in Tennessee is home to synchronous fireflies; the fireflies put on a display for tourists who camp out by the thousands to see them.
Legends say fireflies are visiting lost souls in the night sky. Perhaps one of the fireflies is Butter dancing in the night.
Do you have fireflies in your neighborhood? Please tell me about them. All images were borrowed from the net. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
that first image reminds me of a Van Gogh painting.. the only fire flys I've seen were the larva type in New Zealand. We had to go into a watery cave and the guide turned out the lights, very eerie.
Hi Michele, thanks, I guess the woods are so dense here that the fireflies fly way up high or perhaps it's because we are on a hillside and they are close to the ground but at our level they look like they are way up, but to see them across the valley is amazing.
Loved this post, Linda. Fireflies are fascinating. My dad used to take us to Tennessee up in the Smokey Mountains and around Gatlinberg (sp)? I remember maybe Lookout Mountain? and going down into caverns (Ruby Falls??). But no one ever mentioned fireflies. We do have them here in the summer... but not to that extent.
Lovely photos, I was going to ask you how you took them, but ahem, I guess someone else did. They are still great to see. We haven't got fireflies yet, but will sometime later in the summer. I know you're missing Butter...it's an empty place for your heart connection to him.
Hi Barb, thanks, I guess I should have noted the source of the photos rather than just saying I borrowed them but I was lazy and too busy watching the fireflies. Poor little Butter, strange we see no evidence of his being caught, like some blood or pulled out fur. maybe that's a good sign
that first image reminds me of a Van Gogh painting.. the only fire flys I've seen were the larva type in New Zealand. We had to go into a watery cave and the guide turned out the lights, very eerie.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna, thanks, the fireflies here emit such large lights before we knew what they were we thought someone was flying drones in the night. Ha.
DeleteWe have lots of them here, but they are low and mostly in the privet and bamboo that grows around the log cabin.
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, thanks, I guess the woods are so dense here that the fireflies fly way up high or perhaps it's because we are on a hillside and they are close to the ground but at our level they look like they are way up, but to see them across the valley is amazing.
DeleteLoved this post, Linda. Fireflies are fascinating. My dad used to take us to Tennessee up in the Smokey Mountains and around Gatlinberg (sp)? I remember maybe Lookout Mountain? and going down into caverns (Ruby Falls??). But no one ever mentioned fireflies. We do have them here in the summer... but not to that extent.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, I was going to ask you how you took them, but ahem, I guess someone else did. They are still great to see. We haven't got fireflies yet, but will sometime later in the summer. I know you're missing Butter...it's an empty place for your heart connection to him.
ReplyDeleteHi Barb, thanks, I guess I should have noted the source of the photos rather than just saying I borrowed them but I was lazy and too busy watching the fireflies. Poor little Butter, strange we see no evidence of his being caught, like some blood or pulled out fur. maybe that's a good sign
DeleteNo fireflies here. I envy you. Sad to know that Butter is still missing. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteAhhh...the wonders of Nature. :)
ReplyDelete