Walking out the front door to take a peek at the constellations in the night sky, I was greeted by a different type of light show -- the on and off flashing of what I think were 11 fireflies (or lightning bugs if you prefer) of two different species (two individuals had slightly different flash patterns than the majority).
My interest in "all things illuminated" immediately shifted from over my head to what was in front of me. I was entranced by the subtle spectacle unfolding in front of me as hundreds of firefly flashes, each one created by an amazing mixture of chemicals in their abdomens that when mixed cause an illuminating reaction, went off non-stop.
If you have fireflies on your property and want to encourage them there are a few things you can do to "keep the lights on":
* An obvious recommendation is to refrain from pesticide use as pesticides are lethal to fireflies including their eggs and when in the larval stage. In this phase, they're on the ground so spraying pesticides on your grass can be devastating to them. Pesticides also kill the small insects which the predatory firefly larva depend upon to survive and grow;
* Shut exterior lighting when not needed. Research suggest that front and back porch lights can interfere with the necessary flashing behavior of fireflies making it more difficult for them to find mates;
* Leave leaves, branches, and logs in parts of your property; the larva of some firefly species depend on these areas to hide in and to safely develop into the adult winged form.
* Raise the blade length of your grass to provide more habitat for fireflies; and
* Join with family and friends to take time to enjoy the spectacle flashing behavior of mating fireflies graces each of our yards with.
I hope fireflies are a part of your summer!