Where are the lightning bugs?

I am concerned that here in the mid-Atlantic, they showed up in abundance and suddenly dissappeared. They are my favorite part of summer.

they are usually here till mid-August. I see one....


I can't find any information on it though.

Im in the St. Paul, MN area and they are here by the millions it seems! I cant even go jogging at night anymore, I just may inhale one!!

In in northern New England and though they seem to have gone now the past couple of months were ridiculous.

It was like walking through the stars. They would shine so bright I thought people with flashlights were looking into my windows at night.

I dont recall ever seeing so many.

In the past five years or so I didnt see hardly any. But this year was crazy.

They must have cycles like the cicada.

I live in northern Alabama.

I noticed this a few nights ago but did not really think much about it .

When I was a kid the air was full of fire flies all night long.

This year I have seen only a very few.

reply to post by edaced4


Got all kinds of the little buggers around here in Central NY. Actually more then I've seen in the last few years.

I think it has something to do with the heat, because two years ago, before this god awful drought started, we had plenty in Oklahoma. Now there are very few.

There's a song about it though:

South jersey musta taken them all because they are here in over abundance....

Lots of them in Michigan and a good storm last night to rehydrate the rest of the bug world

I've seen maybe 5 in the last 10 years. Wonder if the chemicals and GMO stuff is getting to these guys like it is the bees.

I've seen a few here in KY

2nd

I'm in Maine and I see probably thousands of them every time I step foot outside at night. Hell, I can see them from my living room lighting up my whole front yard at night. They're everywhere.

I remember growing up in the northern end of the Midwest, in Iowa. Some years, there would be maybe a handful of them, others, they would cover the area.

Now I live in Louisiana, and the only time I see them is on the back end of the property, far away from the bug spray, and then in small numbers.

My kids have been catching fireflies every night lately (and letting them go of course ). Seem to be lots of them out this year. And mosquitoes too! My AC has been on the fritz for a couple weeks, so our windows have stayed open and every morning I wake up with a fresh batch of itchy bites and one or two buzzing in my ear


Edit: I live in central Alabama.

Well, every evening here in east texas the lightening bugs are out dancing about in the backyard... and the treefrogs are singing their little hearts out. I've got a family of rabbits out there as well. Its been in the news lately about an influx of crickets because of the rain we've gotten in the last couple of weeks. One thing unusual for me however is the fact I've seen roadrunners.. even in town! When I was little I almost never saw one...now they're just about everywhere. It was painfully dry last year, and everything suffered for it. This year, it feels as if every creature is taking advantage of the good weather while they can. I'm going to sink a 550 gallon tank in the back yard close to the house and run my gutter system to it so I can have a surplus of rain water just in case we go back into drought mode. Perhaps the missing bugs in your area are just another sign of the weather cycle in play. We do have global warming, and its a good idea to keep your attention on the smaller life forms that are having to endure this change.

Interesting observation.

In the same light, this exact phenomenon is being observed concerning stink bugs.

Where have all the stink bugs gone to?

Remember 1-2 years ago, we had an "epidemic" of stink bugs proliferating the East Coast, specifically, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and surrounding areas...and now, poof!!! They are mostly all gone.

WTH, Who is to blame? Environmental changes? HAARP? Who knows. Just plain freaky.

dude its so weird im in upstate ny about 30 mins from the city and we have VERY FEW lightniing bugs here i have also wondered on why they arent so much as in the few past years....

i mean where he heck are the bumble bees too?

maybe its due to climate change ?

Originally posted by artnut
The crickets on the other hand, just nasty. The are out in record amounts this year, thousands in the parking lots.

Amazing! I was going to post I live in the Northwest and I have not heard a cricket yet this year in the city or up in the hills!

You know, thanks for bringing this up --- this *missing bug* phenomenon is something that's been on my mind for the past few years or so...

I think it's interesting to note; I live in Southern California, and for the past 40 years, I recall always having a blast watching the women around me bat and swat at the air whenever I would tell them DON'T MOVE!!! THERE'S A JUNE BUG ABOUT TO LAND ON YOU!

Interestingly enough, last summer, when these June Bugs were supposed to make their annual visit --- they never showed up! Last month (June), I only saw one (1) beetle so far --- as my friends and I were gathered in the backyard one toasty Saturday evening. I've even exclaimed aloud: Hey... have any of you noticed that there haven't been any June Bugs whatsoever for the past couple of years --- or is it just me?

I find this whole scenario very interesting. Something I've been feeling for quite some time now is that... well... I believe, since the climate here has been changing, maybe the Fireflies/June Bugs have instinctively gone where their instincts tell them to go?

Maybe Southern California will ditch its Black Widows and June Bugs and pick up the missing Fireflies and Praying Mantes in lieu of?

I mean... I remember when Blue Jays were in abundance when I was a kid: I haven't seen a Blue Jay in the past 10 years easily!

There's obviously something bigger going on... I think Mother Nature is just doing her job at finding a balance for all things she needs to find a balance for?!

Interesting nonetheless!

Again, thanks for bringing this up!

Where are the lightning bugs?,

In my back yard. In my front yard. All through the neighborhood when I'm walking the dog.
Really ... I haven't seen any difference in the lightening bugs.

Except one got in the house and I thought he was dead so I flushed him only to have him
turn on his glow as he swirled down to Davy Jones Locker ... lit up the toilet bowl.
Felt kinda bad about it, but it was an honest mistake.

I was just thinking about this a few days ago last year around the 4th of July we were
down visiting my dad in NNJ the kids including my (2 grandkids) were really having a blast catching them and
housing them in their mason jars my dad gave them.. that place was thick with them they
didn't have to do much of anything but hold their hands out and catch them.

I was telling every one there that we haven't ever seen a lightning bug up here in NEPA
as far as I can remember so when we left that night all the kids gave us the jars
for us to take home and let go ..... do you know I sat out side for 30 mins when we got home
and let them all loose in our front yard and watched as they blinked and flew away.

A few days ago round 10 pm we had the whole front lit up with those little buggers ..... it made me smile!