Fireflies, the Friendly Flies
There aren’t too many things more magical than watching fireflies on a warm summer night. The other night I was walking along our road and the fireflies were lighting the way for me like twinkling Christmas Tree lights. One would flash on, another would flash off, taking turns as I passed by.
I know I have researched fireflies before but I couldn’t seem to remember what I had found out so I looked them up on the internet again. I thought only the males could flash a light but after review I found out both the males and females can flash brilliantly in the night sky.
They flash their lights to attract a mate; the male flies around while the female watches for a pattern of flashes she likes. When the female firefly sees something she likes she attempts to get the male’s attention by showing some of her own flash. A short dialogue of flashes and if the chemistry is right then fireworks fly, or something like that happens. It doesn’t seem too different from high school boys driving up and down a strip of road as females line the sidewalks peering into the passing cars.
I’m always amazed at the fireflies ability to light up the night sky. That they are searching for a mate makes their light even more special in a mysterious sort of way. I consider fireflies an added bonus to the star-filled nights at the end of the Gunflint Trail.