Fireflies

Prairie Doggin' · Jun 19, 2020

I remember when I was a kid, you could always find fireflies. Circa 1985. Jamestown/Valley City/Carrington area. Don't think I've seen one in 30 years. Saw one last week and nearly shit myself. Tried to catch it, but had unwilling dog on leash. Went out later and saw a handful more. Rain started, and they were gone. Have gone out several nights since, but nothing. Anyone seeing some, ND mainly. Thought they no longer existed here, so was surprised/pleased.

1bigfokker · Jun 19, 2020

1 last night.

LBrandt · Jun 19, 2020

The road ditch in front of my place is too steep to mow and with the wet spring is full of reeds canary grass. On this weeks warm nights its been alive with fire-flys or lighting bugs as I call them. When it cools down or the wind comes up they are gone again. It does bring back those days of youth trying to catch them and put them in a clear quart jar. LB

PrairieGhost · Jun 19, 2020

Our farm on the Sheyenne River at least as I remember swarmed with them on a warm humid June evening. I have not noticed any this spring, but our home is at the top of a small valley coming off Jamestown reservoir and normally I see a few in the valley below our house.

JayKay · Jun 19, 2020

North of Bismarck Mandan, along the Missouri River. I saw about 1000 on Wednesday night. I only caught one fish, but spent the evening watching fireflies all around me. Even floating on the water. They seemed to stop fluorescing when the breeze came up.

When you actually find and see them close up, you'd be surprised to see that they're simply black beetle-looking bugs.

PrairieGhost · Jun 19, 2020

JayKay we have a few species. We only see a small percentage because we only see males in flight blinking to attract females. Each species has a different blink pattern and they recognize each other. A receptive female of the same species hidden from us down in the grass will blink back to the inflight male.

Fireflies

Prairie Doggin'

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