Nature's LED's

[chuffle]

Yes, magical...

...describes the show that fireflies put on here. They arrived last week, earlier than usual. They put on a real show for a few evenings, then the temperature dropped and the last few evenings have been rather boring. The temperatures are on the rise here, as is the humidity, and I'm looking forward to watching the show once again. I like to sit on the porch when it is dark and watch the fireflies in my upper field. Magical is the only word to describe the sight.

In addition to the fireflies arriving earlier than usual, with the odd spring that we have had, the spring peepers have been mixed up. They usually start "peeping" around the first of April. This year, we had a few nights of song, then the frogs went silent. Last week, I heard them one evening, and walked down to a swampy spot in the woods and the sound was deafening. I don't recall ever hearing them so late in June. As I had my phone with me, I was able to record the chorus, something that I will enjoy listening to, come the middle of dreary and cold winter.

The two things from my childhood that I missed when living in Pittsburgh for twenty years were the lightning bugs and the sound of the peepers. Glad to be back home where I can enjoy both, once again.

Joe

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www.punxsutawneyspirit.com

 

[tomturbomatic]

I saw my first firefly tonight! It being a Friday night, I was not in bed before dark. He was flying around under my deck. If you walk past one at ear level, they sound like a small airplane. I was outside for a while way before sunset working with the plants when a friendly white cat appeared who needed some loving. After the requisite pacing and rubbing, purring and wanting its ears rubbed it sat down on the deck steps by me for a while. I got up to do some watering and after a while, the cat walked up the steps and seemed to want a drink of water from the water garden. I figured that if it was thirsty, it might be hungry so I gave it half a can of tuna along with a container of water and left it to dine in peace. It ate the tuna and was gone by the time I went to check on it. It had a lot of stuff around the eyes and some dirty places on the white coat, but did not feel thin when I was touching it so it is not receiving the best of care, but it is getting some care. It did not have a collar, but I don't know if many cats wear them. Mom used to say that if you feed a cat it will keep coming back so time will tell, but a repotted dwarf Cavendish, a cat and a firefly made for a nice evening.

 

[davetranter]

U.K.

I don't think we have Lightning Bugs / Fireflies on this side of the pond. Perhaps we do, but not this far North. If they like it 'hot and humid', we have the humidity but not the heat. :-(

Re: 'If you feed a cat, it will come back' That is certainly true for the three or four 'time-share' cats which visit me on a regular basis. I work away / visit a lot, so I'm unable to have a cat of my own, but keeping a little dry food around means I seldom go short on feline company.

Thanks for a fascinating thread

Dave T

 

[tolivac]

Feeding-same thing with dogs-we get strays here at the transmitter site-folks like to "dump" their unwanted dogs out here-and others are Walker Hounds and Beagles used by hunters.They stray from the hunters pack-and end up here.We feed them,call the phone# on the dogs tag-then the owner picks them up.If no one picks them up-someone here adopts the dog as a pet.
Oh yes--lightening bugs cannot be like LEDs-remember a LED is an electrical light source-light bugs operate without electricity-they use chemical lumenescence.They combine chemicals in their bodies in the chamber that glows-to make the light.A man made "Lightning bug" would be those chemical light sticks you break to make the light.When the stick is "broken" the chemicals combine to produce light.

 

[tomturbomatic]

"lightening bugs cannot be like LEDs-remember a LED is an electrical light source-light bugs operate without electricity-they use chemical lumenescence.They combine chemicals in their bodies in the chamber that glows-to make the light."

Yes, but this inventor has produced an electric light with the size, color, brightness and time period of the bugs' biolumenescence from releasing luciferase to cause a brief period of oxidation in the luciferin.

There was a popular song in the early 1950s called Glow Worm.

 

[tomturbomatic]

And, for those of you who were never exposed to what Spike Jones could do to a song, here is a mild sample. Glow Worm comes near the end, but the trip is as much fun as the destination. His records were entertaining, but he really used all that television could offer, as well.

If you go to this link and see the thumbnail for Flight of the Bumblebee by two members of the Spike Jones Orchestra, give yourself a good laugh by listening to it.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

We have tons of them around here also! Always had.

 

[twintubdexter]

"lightening bugs cannot be like LEDs-remember a LED is an electrical light source-light bugs operate without electricity-they use chemical lumenescence.They combine chemicals in their bodies in the chamber that glows-to make the light."

You mean those bugs I saw in Kansas City weren't battery operated? What a disappointment! The ones at the Disney parks look very authentic even though you know they're not.

Crickets in the house...I've heard that thing about them being "good luck" but I smash every one I find. There's currently one setting up housekeeping under my refrigerator and if it comes out, SPLAT! One of my Springers, Holly (that's her pic up in the corner) brings them in at night as play toys...bad dog! bad dog!

 

[tomturbomatic]

Bringing in bugs at night

We had a very frightening experience one night when Heidi was bitten by a spider in or on her mouth on her last trip out for the evening. I was studying for an Anthro exam and she started acting funny. We had to call the vet about 11 o'clock and rush her across the county to his office where he gave her shots and stabilized her. I was up half the night watching her because we were sort of afraid to let her go to sleep an be unattended.

 

[twintubdexter]

too many replys?, just let me know

I understand completely about your dog getting bitten and your concern is more than 100% justified. The thing I need to worry about are black widows. They love the heat and always make webs at ground level to catch their favorite food, crickets. When I was a little kid I used to spend a few days with my Aunt Clara (Godmother) which was always fun considering she had a swimming pool-sized fish pond. At night Aunt Clara and I, armed with a flashlight, an old pump sprayer and a "squishing stick" would go bug hunting. I do the same thing today only with a more modern LED flashlight and one-handed bug killer. I look primarily for black widows which don't scatter when the light hits them but are tough to kill instantly even though I buy the most lethal, non-environmentally friendly sprays. Still it's possible for a spider to come over the wall and check out the territory. I hate spiders, black widows in particular.

When she had this in hand, Aunt Clara was a walking lethal weapon...

 

[cuffs054]

Storms dancing all around mid-south GA tonight. The LEB are so plentiful they will lite on your body and do a show!