First lightning bugs of the season???

Just thought I would check in here and let everyone know, and also to see if you might be seeing them in your area. It is WAY too early in the year for this to be happening. I live in Tennessee and we don't typically see them until around mid-summer...It's mid March. I know a thing or two about the weather, and I don't think this means good things in the near future for the weather/climate this year. Currently searching for what this could actually mean, but I'm not even coming up with anything in the Farmer's Almanac.

pics or it didn't happen.

just kidding, i believe you.
strange times, strange times indeed.

reply to post by Ghost375


Believe me, I thought about it, but my little Canon point and shoot won't pick it up

reply to post by edgecrusher2199


I thought I saw one the other night, but blew it off as a trick of light at night.... Strange indeed.
I am in NC and Yes,, way too early.
The Bugs are everywhere here,, LOTS OF THEM. Is very much like summer during the heat of the day,, which this week reached the 80's Used to be,, could go camping now and for the next month or so and enjoy the outdoors free of the annoyance of bugs,,, don't think so this year...

I haven't seen fireflies yet but the frogs started coming out at night a few days ago here, in Buffalo. Weird to hear them so early.

I think we broke a couple temperature records here in Ohio.

Definitely weird times. And I don't care what the records or charts say, it was 88 degrees here today in Traverse County MN. I have moved all my housed tomato plants outside and will cover them when the cold temps come.

June bugs out in Texas last night, yeah they come in may here, burban its march...
Also noticed a few grasshopper /crickets? That hang out in the lights at night...

Been in the 80's all week here ,trees are in full bloom.
This is at least a month early for us in northern Kentucky.
I even have the carpenter bees out already and the frogs are chirping as I type.
Very unlike the usual weather.

Near 90 tomorrow in Memphis...

the craziest thing this morning...a neighbor had a gigantic snapping turtle on their porch!!!

And yes, the bugs are back.. We have mosquitos, spiders....the crickets late at night....

A college professor of mine stated that we may have not only skipped winter, but spring too

Umm, its a warmer year and summer is coming early? The earth is anything BUT the same from year to year. Cycles happen. What would you expect when we are in a warmer trend?

Originally posted by VonDoomen
Umm, its a warmer year and summer is coming early? The earth is anything BUT the same from year to year. Cycles happen. What would you expect when we are in a warmer trend?

So,you can't jump on the doom bandwagon with the rest of us,with that name?
Its doom,I tell ya ,its the end of us all!



Just kidding,yea,probably just a normal cycle,but we will see.
Not complaining,actually loving it.

Here in Michigan we have spotted a few. The mosquitos, frogs, and crickets are singing like crazy in the swamps at night. With the temperatures we are having it feels like June already. It makes for viewing the stars a little more comfortably though.

reply to post by ButterCookie

I just had to google that as I'd never heard of a snapping turtle before. Is that an alligator snapping turtle? (Got routed to wikipedia). It looks like a monster rather than some slow, docile thing I was expecting.
ETA Link

I would love to see fireflies. They sound magical

Lots of bugs already here in Texas....I've seen a few June bugs too - no fireflies yet

Weirdest thing though - lately there's been songbirds singing like it's dawn around midnight in my neighborhood...my whole life I've never heard that unless daylight's at least close to breaking...

Just thought I'd throw that in there - weird stuff happening indeed.- something in the air just feels odd

It certainly has been warm, and as many have mentioned, there are a lot of bugs out for this time of year.

One question I have: what is the mechanism that starts the annual appearance of fire flies? Is it weather related or is the timing based on the solar cycle or something else? If there are some fire flies out at this time of year, it is indeed WAY early, but I'm wondering if it may be something besides the warm weather that's the cause.

Also, I'm not trying to make this a global warming debate at all - simply curious about what might make lightning bugs appear so early...

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by ButterCookie

 

I just had to google that as I'd never heard of a snapping turtle before. Is that an alligator snapping turtle? (Got routed to wikipedia). It looks like a monster rather than some slow, docile thing I was expecting.

ETA Link

I would love to see fireflies. They sound magical

edit on 18/3/12 by LightSpeedDriver because: ETA

Whatever it was, it was HUGE! I think the Animal Control may have gotten him. My kids said there were frogs everywhere too....

Originally posted by usmc0311
Here in Michigan we have spotted a few. The mosquitos, frogs, and crickets are singing like crazy in the swamps at night. With the temperatures we are having it feels like June already. It makes for viewing the stars a little more comfortably though.

YES INDEED!!!

I look forward to many nice, warm nights to stargaze.

I'll love it

reply to post by Virgil Cain

I am no expert but wiki says:

Fireflies hibernate over winter during the larval stage, some species for several years. Some do this by burrowing underground, while others find places on or under the bark of trees. They emerge in the spring. After several weeks of feeding, they pupate for 1.0 to 2.5 weeks and emerge as adults.

so I would guess it is temperature based, like bears, hedgehogs and other hibernating creatures. It is just a guess though.

Tiny little UFOs piloted by tiny little aliens! Too early for fireflies, therefore... Aliens!