Fireflies

I grew up in California which has two seasons. It rains in January and February, and is sunny for the rest of the year. I remember going to visit my relatives in Ohio. Everything was so green! The highlight for me was the fireflies. They simply seemed like a miracle. I think because I didn't grow up with them, they still do. I remember when we were heading back to California, I would stick a few fireflies in a can and throw the can in my suitcase, hoping that I could introduce fireflies to the California environment, no luck.

Fireflies arrive here on the other side of the creek in June. I've been going to bed pretty early lately, but I went out the other night to have a look. There weren't as many as in years past, but they were still there.

Fireflies in Iowa-Youtube

The population of fireflies is decreasing throughout the country and the world. Supposedly this is due to loss of habitat, use of pesticides and light pollution. I have to feel that there are other causes because we don't experience any of those causes here. Many many species are disappearing, including monarch butterflies and fireflies. There's hardly a month that goes my without an article in the NY Times about how species are going away. Climate change certainly plays a huge role in this. Try to imagine a world without butterflies and fireflies. Magic is going out of the world; day by day, species by species. We have to do something.