The Case of the Disappearing Firefly
If you want to find a firefly then you may need to come to my neighborhood to see one. In the summertime when it’s dark outside I can look out my window and see tiny flashes of light in the trees. Almost like magic they appear out of nowhere and then in a flash they are gone.
In my neighborhood the flash returns almost as quickly as it left but in more developed areas of the world the light of the firefly may be out for good. Like so many other creatures and plants of the world the firefly is struggling to survive. In a world of habitat loss and artificial light the firefly is having a difficult time attracting a mate to reproduce.
While the days of catching fireflies in a jar on a hot summer night may be over the twinkling lights may remain. According to an article in Sierra magazine there’s a company that created a line of artifical fireflies that flash and fade like the real thing. "Firefly Magic Lights can be placed in trees and bushes to conjure a time when nature provided the entertainment for free."
I’m happy I don’t have to resort to placing lights in my trees to simulate firefly activity. The wilderness of the Boundary Waters and Quetico Park are still filled with fireflies flashing in the summer sky. Just another reason to come visit us on the Gunflint Trail.
More information about the firefly can be found at this website.