Randy and I have been spending an hour or two sitting out in the garden in the evenings when the weather is good. This afternoon we had storms and heavy rain, almost 1.5 inches on my yard, by about 8:30 the storms were gone but the sky was still overcast and there was a cool breeze. The storm had also put out our backyard security light, guess the bulb was old. We went out in the dark and were enjoying a glass of wine and the weather when something caught our eye that we have not seen in the city since we were kids....a lightning bug. http://www.backyardnature.net/lightbug.htm It floated around flashing, looking for a mate then wandered off to the yard across the alley. When we came back in I did a google search for lightning bugs and what they eat to make sure I had what he likes so he would hopefully hang around. The larvae eat earthworms, snails and slugs....got all of those covered...and sometimes small dead animals, think I will pass on that one. The adult lightning bug probably feeds on plant nectar...got that covered. And since we do not use chemicals on the yards maybe we will be seeing more of them this year. Actually we may have been missing them by sitting out there with the yard light on all this time. It is so exciting to know there is hope of having them back in our yard after all these years.
A glass of wine and a light show, very nice. I've never seen one, I believe they are called glowworms here in Europe.
Now that's the kind of surprise I like when I'm outdoors Toni. I hope he finds a mate and settles down in, or around, your garden and has lots of babies. We don't get lightning bugs here but I think they may be from the same family group as glow worms and fire flies. (Neither of which are worms or flies.) I've never actually seen any in Scotland but I did, once, see fire flies in Yorkshire and they were so pretty to watch flashing mating signals to each other.
It's a little early for them here in Ohio. Usually about mid June and then we will see them by the hundreds right through August. Here at Ohio State University Cancer Center they are using the chemical from lightning bugs that causes them to glow to track cancer cells in the body. They make the cells glow and they can study them.
Funny this should be a discussion today, I was thinking about when the first lightening bugs will coming...for us a few weeks away as well. (I love watching them!) AND I was wondering if my friends from around the world (meaning you guys) get them as well. Now I have the answer. I don't know if others who have the bugs did this when they were little? It's actually horrible... You catch the lighting bug and squish its little glowing butt on the top of your wrist or ring finger for a glowing piece of jewlery. I told you it was horrible! I was never able to do it myself...but I did let others do it for me. (can't bait a hook either...but love fishing)
Here's something else.(not quite as yucky as your though Chitweed ) There are still people in England who collect fire flies and put them into sealed glass containers and then use them as pretty, little 'lights' for their garden!! I like the idea of using the beetles in cancer research. Who'd have thought that lightning bugs could benifit us in this way?
Hooray lightning bugs! It is already a Huge year for them here with hundreds coming out. We stand in the front door and watch them at twilight. We come across the larva in the fall alot. Happy fireflies. Nature at it's BEST. 8)
We use to have thousands of them flying around at night but I see one flashing around every now and then.I have made jewerly out of their little tails too.yuck.I am sorry for that but just kids.
we have millions here in the hills of w.va. toni, i wish i could catch a bunch and send theme to you.
I miss fire flys . We look for them every year but, I haven't seen one since I was little. My kids have never even seen one. It's kind of sad. :'(
