lightning bugs

Lately, I've been crafting a non-fiction essay about bugs in the south to submit to southern magazines. Even if it just gives them an idea of my voice, it seems that bugs are rarely talked about and I needed a story idea. I understand the insect distaste as just recently watching the horrible Shutter Island (in the dark), something big and crunchy took a walk on my clavicle. In low light, the mind wanders and a shriek sounds. I'm not sure what it was but the imagination conjures a cockroach every time no matter where I am.

The south has all kind of weird bugs but lightning bugs are really pretty. Many a summer, I ran barefoot through the grass spitting watermelon seeds and catching the glow bugs in mason jars. In case you are wondering, lightning bugs and fireflies are no different and not all of them can produce light. This is a bummer as the male flashes light patterns to get the ladies attention and they flash back if they are into it or bored, who knows. The non-flashers are quite lonely. Summer is their time and during winter they burrow into trees or the soil. They feed on nectar and pollen. I am so grateful for the latter. The less pollen there is the better for me.

If you want to see some flash in unison and love sleepy towns, head to Elkmont, Tennessee in the Great Smokies or Congaree National Park in South Carolina. In the first weeks of June, they speed date in the woods. You can see hundreds flashing their colors. Funny, June is also the most popular month to get married for us human folk.

So, now that I've been learning about these guys, I kinda feel bad about bottling them in jars, even for an hour or two. I was seriously cutting in on their date night!

I'll let you know if any other critters have interesting stories to tell. I have a similar "snakes have no reason to live" approach as I do to flying cockroaches. Maybe, ladybugs are next...