Fireflies

[Tim L]

Is it just me or is there an abundance of fire flies (lightning bugs ) this year ?

[Don K]

Definitely on the increase.

[Onthesauk]

You don't suppose all that light is accerating global warming do you? ;D

Have never lived anywhere that had them.  Can remember visiting cousins in Minn and Ill as a kid and being facinated by fireflies.

[Tom]

We have more than usual around the house too.  It's a neat sight to see them flying and blinking back in the swamp after dark.  It really gives the place a sense of 3 dimension.

[Tim L]

Do they have any predators ?

[Furby]

Yeah....................... KIDS!
:D :D :D

[Tom]

Furby, you are right. Kids are real predators of fireflies. :D

The larvae live on the ground and eat things like slugs, snails and earthworms.  The adults probably get their sustainance from the nector of plants.

[Jeff]

We have a bunch at the cabin in the U.P. this year as well. Certainly more then I have noticed in the past.

[LeeB]

One summer when I was a kid, the University of Texas was doing a study on them. they were paying a penny apiece. We never managed to sell any but a lot of them sure gave their final days in the name of science.

[Norm]

There used to be a place in the midwest what would buy them. Can't remember the price but I think it was pennies each. I remember as a kid catching a mason jar full thinking I'd use them as a night light. My mom was not impressed with the smell after a few days. :D

[Carries-Mom]

I haven't seen any down here in my neck of the woods....they must be avoiding the heat (about 95 degrees)

[isawlogs]

My mom was not impressed with the smell after a few days. :D

  You and Plupet cousins ???

[grassfed]

A big thing that affects fireflies is tall grass.  If you have un-mown areas with tall grass you get a lot more fireflies.

[Furby]

None here and I have had TONS of unmowed grass. :

[SwampDonkey]

Yes they like tall grass and unkept grounds with tall thickets. I read some females of one species lures the males of another to make a meal out of him.  :

We had the usual crop of them this year. Fireflies folk lure considered that a good turn out of the bugs meant a sign for a run of salmon on the rivers here.

Furby if there are spray programs in your area for whatever bugs, that may explain no fireflies. I'm surprised to see any around these potato fields, but a lot of  chemicals for beetle is systemic now. They mostly spray fungicides.

[Furby]

Nope, no spray.

[metalspinner]

We ran out of bait one night at the pond so we caught a couple of firefly's to see what would  happen.  It was getting pretty dark outside so we could not see down into the water.  Well, a firefly on the end of a hook took care of that.  That thing glowed down about 18" then was hit hard by a bluegill.  We were originally using corn kernals for bait, and they would just nibble at it - no big hits.  But when that firefly hit the water it was on!
                                                                                 smiley_deadheader alligator