Saturday night we had the joy of watching fireflies dancing around our back yard. My granddaughter, entranced by the sight, had never seen them before. We hadn’t seen them in a couple of summers either, though I am not sure if they weren’t there or if we just weren’t outside at the right moment.
One of my blog friends loves maps, so I have posted one of my favorite kinds–a geography of word usage. In the map of the United States shown above you can see in what part of the country people call these little creatures fireflies and where they are called lightning bugs. Actually until I found this map I thought they were two different insects! I first saw them in Pike, New York which is just in the firefly part of the state. Our part of Connecticut also uses firefly as a name. I don’t know if these bugs are around the world or not. If they are, could you tell me what you call them?
As kids at my grandparents’ farm we tried to catch them in jars. I don’t think we were ever successful, but we had a great time running after them as they flitted and flashed away. A true summer treat, little lights flickering on and off around the yard.
Saved By Words 
I guess I’ve always known them by both names, Elizabeth. But then, I’ve moved around bit. I certainly can’t tell if they are worldwide, but we do have them here in Italy, and we call them Lucciole, or Lucciola in the singular. Light in Italian is luce, so the lucciole are literally “little lights,” which I think is a great name!
LikeLike
How wonderful. I think that name is the best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too!
LikeLike
Thanks for the map, Elizabeth! 🙂
We don’t have fireflies over here, so the thought of them has always fascinated me.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
Yes that map was for you, as you might have guessed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are intriguing for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Throw in the term glow worm and it really gets confusing. (Glow little glow worm glow)
LikeLike
True. Now I am humming that.
LikeLike
Yes, chasing those lightning bugs in our part of the country. I noticed some the other night. Maybe about 10 of them in the back yard. They are relaxing to me, I sit there and try to follow them wondering where they will flash next.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey there. How is your corner of the world?
LikeLike
It’s been really busy, but I think it is slowing down some.
LikeLike
I can’t wait for more trailer tales.
LikeLike
When we were kids back in the province, we used to watch fireflies at night. They are a sight to see.
LikeLike
That is fun to know that they are around the world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never saw any in Seattle. I looked it up and apparently the fireflies are here but don’t usually glow. I was happy to finally see some in Kansas on a cross-country trip a few years ago.
LikeLike
I was delighted when I first saw them. I had only ever read about them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved chasing fireflies as a kid. I would bring them in my room in a jar and keep them there for the night. Sadly whether it was the conditions or just their short lifespan they never lasted that long.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is something about the thrill of the catch, even as a child. I remember catching many a butterfly when I was a kid. My brother is the vice president of the North American Butterfly Association, and he would be mortified. Thank goodness my appreciation of nature is to now capture things with a camera.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We collected all sorts of bugs, slugs, frogs, sea life, etc. I never caught a butterfly though I did put many a caterpillar in a jar.
LikeLike
I am solidly in “lightning bug” territory. We finally saw our first ones last night!
LikeLike
Aren’t they cheerful sights?
LikeLike
They sound lovely, Elizabeth. I have never seen live fireflies (or dead ones either, only ones on television).
LikeLike
I am not sure where they are in the world. They are quite astonishing.
LikeLike
We’ve been seeing a lot of them here too, including other wildlife I never noticed before. We had our first snake sighting in the yard this year, as well as tonnes of bunnies hopping around. I even saw a chipmunk yesterday, which is also a first. I didn’t even know Georgia had chipmunks!! The only time I ever saw one was in New England.
That said, Jamaicans call fireflies peeniwally. 😅
LikeLike
Seriously? What a great word. The first bears are appearing on our side of the Connecticut River. Not looking forward to seeing one first hand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I keep forgetting you guys have bears. I didn’t encounter any there. The only bears I ever saw were in Alaska.
LikeLike
There is a bear boom as the forests have grown back over much of Connecticut.
LikeLike
Grown back for the spring like it would annually or more like recovering from mass deforestation?
LikeLike
From the mass deforestation when so much more of the state was farmed. It is not ideal farm land and those early settlers moved west eventually leaving the land to grow back.
LikeLike
That makes sense. I imagine you’ll see a lot more changes to the animals that come about over time.
LikeLike
As people build in the woods they are encountering more bears. What a concept!
LikeLike
I’m so glad I didn’t encounter any bears while hiking alone up there 😄
LikeLike
Me too.
LikeLike