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Post by datgirl on Jun 19, 2022 21:51:13 GMT -5
Saw the first lightening bugs of the summer tonight.
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Post by gardendmpls on Jun 19, 2022 23:36:40 GMT -5
Saw the first lightening bugs of the summer tonight. I did, too. Just one, as I was coming in. Now all I need is a taste of a Sungold tomato and summer will be official.
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Post by breezygardener on Jun 20, 2022 11:37:09 GMT -5
As a born-&-bred New Yorker, I can remember waiting impatiently for the first Fireflies to show up end-of-June/early-July. When we moved to Virginia, I can remember being shocked at seeing them appear in early May!! I've been keeping a spreadsheet of "Seasonal Firsts" since 2008, & Fireflies have show up here as early as May 5th!
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Post by heirloomfan on Jun 20, 2022 13:49:45 GMT -5
I grew up in Kansas and we had them there too, always loved as a kid seeing bunches of them blinking in the evening. We now live in the Denver area and we don't get them here, however last couple of years around first of July we start seeing dragonflies and they are a lot of fun as they fly back and forth like little airplanes. They're also supposed to be great to eat a lot of pesky bugs like mosquitos. Breezy I like your idea of keeping a spreadsheet, I keep garden notes and pictures each year and it's always good to know if something is early, late or same time as last year!
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Post by gardendmpls on Jun 20, 2022 15:22:52 GMT -5
it's always good to know if something is early, late or same time as last year Amen to that. I think if we kept notes on things like fireflies and the weather, we wouldn't spend nearly as much time griping about how abnormal things are compared to before. The longer the record, the more we could see that patterns differ each year, but over the long term may repeat themselves. Of course geologic time moves slowly, so you would have to live a long time to recognize all the variations of normal.
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Post by breezygardener on Jun 20, 2022 16:41:33 GMT -5
however last couple of years around first of July we start seeing dragonflies Dragonflies normally show up here in early May as well, although we've had a couple of years where we've seen them in late March & April. The chubbier spotted-wing varieties show up first, followed by larger, longer brilliant neon blue & green ones in June/July. Haven't seen any of those yet.
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Post by martywny on Jun 20, 2022 16:52:48 GMT -5
On the subject of dragonflies, I saw this beast in the driveway this morning as Gunner and I headed off on our walk. Wingspan was almost 6" and it was gone when we got back to the house, must have been warming up.
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Post by binnylou on Jun 20, 2022 17:18:07 GMT -5
martywny, possibly waiting for runway clearance.
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Post by emmsmommy on Jun 20, 2022 22:11:04 GMT -5
Actually I hadn't even noticed lightning bugs yet this year until I read this thread. Looked out the window to the backyard and yep, there they are! I know they're usually around my mid-June because I specifically remember one being in the bedroom the night I'd gotten word that my great-grandmother had passed in 1992. I know there was one inside the next year on the same day as well. Maybe it was a sign that she was at peace or maybe it was simply that we lived in a drafty old house.
I did see a dragonfly a few weeks ago as well. It was resting on the chimney stone by the greenhouse.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Jun 21, 2022 12:36:39 GMT -5
martywny, the opacity of the wings, and the designs, are just beautiful. I could see painting, embroidery and other artistic ventures arising from these naturally lovely designs. I haven't seen any dragonflies yet this year; but I've rarely seen them in this area anyway. Probably scared away by the heavy traffic. The only real summer insect I've seen was a bee inspecting the front porch for a suitable home. Fortunately, it apparently didn't find one, at least that I can tell.
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Post by Wheelgarden on Jun 21, 2022 14:28:47 GMT -5
Dragonflies abundant, but the fireflies that have wowed us since April are on the decline. On two different occasions in the past, we've seen thousands of them synchronize their flashes all evening long. Something to behold.
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Post by breezygardener on Jun 21, 2022 16:35:43 GMT -5
On the subject of dragonflies, I saw this beast in the driveway this morning as Gunner and I headed off on our walk. Wingspan was almost 6" and it was gone when we got back to the house, must have been warming up. That's a real beauty!! Some varieties can really reach awesome lengths - especially by later in the season.
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Post by datgirl on Jun 21, 2022 16:44:24 GMT -5
The dragonflies are flitting around too.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Jun 22, 2022 10:20:14 GMT -5
Wheelgarden ,your post reminded me of an event my father shared with me. He was working with the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps for those not familiar with it), returning from a visit to the local town and bar with other CCC workers after a day of cutting down trees. They had no flashlights, but did have some kind of jar (not sure what it was or why they brought it to and/or from the town). But they managed to capture some fireflies in the jar for lighting for the journey back to the base, then released them. I thought it was interesting to use fireflies in lieu of flashlights. I'm assuming that they found a way to punch holes in the jar lid (if there was one) so that the flies could breathe. I still can envision that scenario, walking home in a thick Michigan forest, laughing and enjoying the innovated lighting.
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Post by breezygardener on Jun 22, 2022 11:34:49 GMT -5
When we were little kids we used to catch fireflies in jars (with breathing holes punched in the lid or cheesecloth with a rubber band) & keep them overnight as "night lights". Always let them go the following morning.
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