The Magic of Fireflies

One of my favorite childhood memories is catching fireflies and watching them magically light up the night! I’ve spent many springs and summers marveling at the joy of the woods and prairies lighting up as the frost gives way to warmer nights. Slowly they emerge every year, on their own schedule, letting us know the cold is gone and the warm season has begun.

Fireflies, or lightning bugs, depending on where you’re from, are actually beetles. They are identified by a long, thin, brownish/black soft body with a red or orange spot on its head (from above). The end segment s of their abdomen are pale yellow and they glow yellow or green. There is a species that also glows red in Missouri, but I have not seen them here. They are about 3/4 inch long. These are Missouri’s only flying, bioluminescent insects.

And if that is not cool enough, the larvae is called glowworms! They are wingless and don’t blink, but they do glow all the time and can be seen on the ground in damp areas near grasses and brush.

The beetles spend winter as larvae, then in spring, they metamorphose into adults. The flashing abdomens have their own rythem and are used to attract a mate.

Fireflies are nocturnal and crepuscular (meaning they are active at dawn and dusk) and emerge in the spring and summer, when the adults fly and their bioluminescent abdomens begin blinking on and off beginning the courtship stage.

The larvae eats snails, slugs and various invertebrates and the adults are not typically preyed on because they contain chemicals that make them bad tasting.

Fireflies are commonly viewed in yards, edges of woods, meadows and near ponds, streams and lakes. To encourage fireflies in your yard or area, avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides and leave higher grasses and natural vegetation around the edges.

One of my favorite moments last season was during the 4th of July weekend. After dropping friends at their dock following fireworks, I proceeded into the darkness, away from the neighborhood lights. The further i got into the dark, the brighter the woods around the lake began to blink. At first, it felt like a “Pirates of the Caribean (the ride)” moment, but as I cruised the shoreline the night came alive. I was so caught up in the magic happening around me that I stopped the boat and sat in my silent fairytale.

I encourage all of you to slow down and fall into the moments that wrap themselves around you. There is so much beauty and magic happening around Table Rock and we are so lucky to be here.

I hope this season you see the fireflies as magic and appreciate how really unique they are!

References:

Missouri Department of Conservation

Firefly Conservation & Research