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Whatever Happened To Lightning Bugs?

One thing I really remember from my childhood is lightning bugs. On a cable tv-nature show I was watching recently, they were on the subject of bioluminescent creatures in the depths of the ocean. As a sidenote they touched on the "firefly" and it's mechanisms for creating it's light. That got me to thinking. Just when was the last time I've seen even one lightning bug? Some people call them fireflies, but I have never heard them referred to as that. When I was growing up they were always just "lightning bugs." I can remember vividly running through an open field on summer nights in the in the mid sixties. Running a zig zag pattern  and swatting the bugs to the ground if they were unfortunate enough to light up in front of me. There were so many in the air at that time that it was not uncommon to swat down five or more in less than fifty yards. They were then collected in a jar, and eventually ground down to a fine biolumenescent paste. Perfect for rubbing on younger siblings! Ah, the good old days.

  These days, however, with the Google right in front of us, I couldn't help but look up some things about the old lightning bug. I found the reason that they are flashing is that they are looking for mates or prey. The females sit on nearby vegetation and wait for males to "flash" them. If they are ready to mate they will respond to a male by "flashing" right back. Then a dance of sorts  take place with their light bursts  becoming shorter in duration and closer together. As this plays out the male is also getting closer and closer to the female, and if it goes his way, bingo. Well that sounds a lot like what the creatures are doing in the dark depths. Albeit, not nearly as elaborate as some of them.

  The lightning bug produces it's light chemically from it's abdomen. Across North America the light can range in color between green, yellow, or pale red. ( I have only seen them  in green myself.) They thrive in wet wooded or marshy areas where their glowing larvae have plenty to eat. Most of the areas that I used to see them in are not nearly as wooded as they used to be.

  So, do you remember lightning bugs? Are there any places around Lafayette where they can still be found? Would love to hear from anybody and everybody on this subject.

  Tomorrow, we look at the 600 block of Jefferson Street, as it was in 1959. A lot has changed since then.

 

Lightning Bug Sources: The Backyard Nature Website, Wikipedia

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Uploaded By: DavidBarry
3 years ago
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