I’m not a huge fan of Philadelphia’s hot, humid weather. However, I realize that the climate is responsible for creating a habitat perfect for fireflies (or lightening bugs, as my family always called them). I can’t imagine there are too many locals who don’t remember watching for and catching fireflies beginning in June. Even now, I will sit out on the porch after dinner and watch the dense bushes bordering my house for the first glow. I feel fortunate that our weather allows them to thrive. Actually, I should correct myself–there are actually more than 2,000 species of these beetles, but not all of them (including those that live in the western part of the country) glow. I recently read a Smithsonian article that explained that some glow green or orange (not just yellow)! Who knew? Did you know that their light is caused by a (very efficient) chemical reaction? They require an enzyme called luciferase to be present in order to bioluminesce (glow). This chemical has scientific value and while it is now being made synthetically, some research organizations still harvest live fireflies. While the specifics of how they glow and why (to attract mates or, in the larvae’s case, to discourage predators) are interesting, these facts can’t compare to the magic of seeing them on a darkening summer night. I feel very lucky to live in a place where they are the harbingers of summer. I would have been so disappointed not to have been able to share the wonder of lightening bugs with my kids.
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