Lightning Bugs, or Fire Flies?

@GardenGerty (156813)
United States
June 11, 2017 5:39am CST
In June around here you can count on these little bugs with bio luminescence to be out just before the sun goes down. Some people call them lightning bugs, some call them fireflies. I use both. I think I say lightning bugs more often. As a child I would occasionally catch one, then let it go. I had no desire to try to make lanterns of them. Where you live, do you have these insects? I keep reading that their population is in a decline. I seem to see plenty around here. You can find them in the daytime, but their light does not compete with bright sun.I hope they do not disappear.
19 people like this
21 responses
@silvermist (19706)
• India
11 Jun 17
Here too we have fireflies.But I think their numbers have diminished.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
11 Jun 17
Why are they diminishing? Is it lack of habitat or is it pesticides?
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
11 Jun 17
those have vanished in Texas, fire ants killed them I think, neat they are still up here though
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
It probably got too dry and drought stricken for them in Texas as well.
1 person likes this
• Centralia, Missouri
19 Jun 17
@GardenGerty the side of texas I was on didnt have drought issues, green all year round. the west side, thought, very well could have
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
25 Jun 17
@Jessicalynnt well that shows how I have stereotyped Texas. It is too big to be put in for that image.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jun 17
I call them by both names. We did collect them and place them in Hellmanns mayo jars back in the day. My brothers would smear them on their arms to leave that glowing line. Grossed me out.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
Ewww, yuck to your brothers.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157281)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Jun 17
Where I grew up we had june bugs so thick we could scoop them up in a jar. We never had the lightning bugs but one time a young boy in the neighborhood had visited family in the south and came home with a lightning bug in a jar. Some how it got out and we had a lightning bug in the area for several days after that.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
We had June bugs too. Scratchy if they managed to get inside your clothes.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157281)
• Boise, Idaho
17 Jun 17
@GardenGerty ......Oh, yes. I recall them in my shoes.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130092)
• India
12 Jun 17
We call them glow worms but I do not see them these days. We were taken to a cave in New Zealand where we got to see them in hoards Picked this up from youtube
A Time-lapse of New Zealand’s Glowworm caves as they have never been seen before. Filming this involved sleeping in caves for multiple days in complete darkn...
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
OH, I thought glow worms were actually caterpillars. I imagine the cave visit was awesome.
@LadyDuck (453738)
• Switzerland
11 Jun 17
We call them "lucciole" in Italian and I have always translated as fireflies. There are plenty in my garden, especially near the pond.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
11 Jun 17
What a pretty sounding name. Yes, everything needs water to survive.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (453738)
• Switzerland
11 Jun 17
@GardenGerty I like the little lights flickering on the water during the night.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
@LadyDuck That sounds lovely.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28719)
• United States
13 Jun 17
We have tons of them, it's so nice to sit on the porch at night and watch them. I also call them by both names..
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
The world needs more porches to sit on and enjoy the scenes of nature.
@rebelann (110603)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Jun 17
There are none in the desert here so I have never seen one for myself. Yeah, I have heard that fireflies and bees have been devastated by our use of pesticides and such. It's a crying shame.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
It is also probably too dry for them where you are
1 person likes this
@rebelann (110603)
• El Paso, Texas
17 Jun 17
Yes, that's true @GardenGerty it's also too hot for them I would think.
• United States
11 Jun 17
I don't see them around here, but I am more urban Heather. I call them lightning bugs.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
When there is a lot of urban lighting they are hard to see.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
11 Jun 17
We always called them lightening bugs and nothing was more fun than catching one in a jar and watching it glow of course it wasn't all that thrilling for the lightening bug!!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
I wonder what they really think of us.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
18 Jun 17
@GardenGerty I wonder if they think? But probably they think help!!!!
@Hate2Iron (15731)
• Canada
11 Jun 17
We had tons of them in Lombard Illinois where we used to live, but I haven't seen any here in Manitoba :( Miss the little guys and we called them fireflies.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
I wonder what the northern limit of their range is?
• United States
11 Jun 17
For 69 years I've called them lightening bugs and will continue to do so - we saw some out a while ago.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
That's fine by me. I love that so many people can enjoy them.
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
13 Jun 17
We usually see them here around the beginning of July. I still enjoy them. Oh, my! I hope their population doesn't decline!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
We have to be careful of pesticides. Someone mentioned making sure there is water available for them.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
17 Jun 17
@GardenGerty Yes, those pesticides can do more harm than is necessary. I hope to see those lightning bugs soon!
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
14 Jun 17
This week I have started seeing lightening bugs, I was excited as a child, I think its awesome to look at the black woods and see it light up.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
I can just imagine that. It is also awesome to look up and see stars and not street lights.
@jstory07 (133462)
• Roseburg, Oregon
12 Jun 17
I have always called them lightning bugs.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
And everyone knows what you are talking about when you do.
@jaboUK (64363)
• United Kingdom
12 Jun 17
We don't have them around here, but I've seen them when I've been abroad. I call them fireflies.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
It might be interesting to research their range.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67002)
• United States
11 Jun 17
Growing up id find them just by looking out my window. Now i dont see any.
@BettyB (4117)
• Summerville, South Carolina
11 Jun 17
As a child I had fun catching them, but they are not common here. Whenever we went to my parent's farm, my sons would take a jar and catch them as well. It is part of the memories attached to their grandparents now.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
17 Jun 17
Yes, I can see the attachment and association. That is great.
@Kandae11 (53538)
12 Jun 17
I remember seeing a lot more of them years ago - maybe they are in a decline.
1 person likes this
@djbrat13 (392)
• Phoenix, Arizona
12 Jun 17
Actually, I've never seen them. I live in Arizona and never had the pleasure to actually see them in person. Maybe some day..