I grew up chasing lightening bugs every summer. It was a rite of childhood. -A brilliant little bug who entertained and wouldn't bite as you cradled it in your palm- I may have collected a few in jars, but mostly I was a catch and release type of girl. They impressed me back then, but it wasn't until I moved to our current home that I saw how magnificent they collectively can be. The farmer sold his land and we watched the corn fields give away to wild prairies. One night we watched in awe as the field twinkled with the light of thousands, maybe millions, of fireflies. You may think watching one bug light up is pretty impressive, but you haven't seen anything until you look out on acres and acres of them firing up.
The developers moved in and the new houses are going up. The fireflies are still around but not in those huge numbers we saw that magical summer. It amazes me these little life forms lay dormant all winter, buried deep underground and snow, and then come summer, follow God's plan to light up and multiply.
I imagine for as long as children have roamed the summer grasses at night, fireflies have danced alongside.
http://iris.biosci.ohio-state.edu/projects/FFiles/
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/firefly.html
