Fire-flies

Alan L. · Jun 27, 2001

I'm in north texas right where I grew up. We used to have tons of lightening bugs 30 years ago and now I rarely see one. I don't know what happened.

Alan L., TX

ERNIEB · Jun 27, 2001

I didn't know there was a difference between lighting bugs and fireflys. We do call them lighting bugs. We had them here earlier in the spring. Haven't seen them lately. It does seem like we had more around here when I was a kid.
And glow little glow worm glow./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Ernie

Bird · Jun 27, 2001

Tell me the difference between lightning bugs and fireflies. Like Ernie, I thought they were the same thing.

Bird

RPM · Jun 27, 2001

I don't know a difference - but I did find an Official Firefly Site at Ohio State University.

Here's one of the little fellas ...

Also found a Glow In the Dark Organisms page that might be of interest!!

Bird · Jun 27, 2001

RPM, that site seems to indicate that they're the same thing, and seldom found in the western part of the country.

Bird

Bill_Ryan · Jun 27, 2001

I grew up in Illinois as well and remember spending evenings catching/watching them (NW suburbs of Chicago).

I live in New Hampshire now and we have lots of them this time of year. Just the other night I awoke and one gave me a light show right in our bedroom....amazing creatures.

Bill

Bill_Ryan · Jun 27, 2001

P.S.: We called them lightning bugs in Illinois....don't know what people call them here in NH

glennmac · Jun 27, 2001

Bird, the difference I think applies only in marginal zones such as North Texas. The fire flies are the ones you didn't see when you walked out your door last night. The lightning bugs are the ones you might see if you go to the middle of your pasture. What do they know at Ohio State University, a place that fired Woody Hayes.

Bird · Jun 27, 2001

glennmac, I don't think you'd find any lightning bugs or fire flies in my pasture; just fire ants instead./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

heehaw · Jun 28, 2001

what-ever ya call-em; does anyone remember when they advertised to buy them. Seems like it was on the buffalo bob show, we lived around st. louis at that time, and my sister and i caught a lot of lightning bugs, but never enough to get enough money to pay for the postage. this was late 50's, maybe very early 60's.
heehaw