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Old 06-14-2008, 12:56 PM
 
10,239 posts, read 19,610,755 times
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Hey fellow Texans and friends,

The subject of lightning bugs (or fireflies) has appeared lately, and I was just wondering if anybody has any tales/stories to tell in that regard?

Either chasing them as a kid, or enjoying it with your own kids, or whatever. I once wrote a little short story titled "Kissing Cousins and Lightning Bugs" and the whole subject has always been facinating to me.

Go ahead, remember the magic!
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Old 06-14-2008, 01:34 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
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Don't have to remember it, have them lighting up our evenings every night around here, in amongst the willows along the stream that runs through our property behind the house.
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Old 06-14-2008, 01:44 PM
 
Location: El Paso, TX
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Last year we went down to Galveston to check out the place as a possible move location. I like to camp on the Texas Beaches, been doing it for a long time now, so instead of staying in a hotel we stayed on the beach. The Lightning Bugs were out in full display, dancing in and out of the trees, and dunes.. it was magical. We camped on Crystal Beach near the light house and Fort. It was awesome. It was one major plus for me wanting to move there.

As a Kid my grandmother and I would make trips to Tulsa Oklahoma to visit family that was there.. and I recall Fire Flies all over there too.. there was a stream that flowed behind the house.. and many trees all over.. they were magical too back then.. then seeing them in the story above brought back the memories of my childhood.
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Old 06-14-2008, 01:49 PM
 
Location: The Big D
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We used to catch them all the time as kids. We have tons of them still around here and I'm "in the city". My daughter was trying to catch "just one" the other night running around the yard.

To me they are the coolest bug out there.
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Old 06-14-2008, 02:32 PM
 
Location: Longview, TX
189 posts, read 628,909 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by momof2dfw View Post
We used to catch them all the time as kids. We have tons of them still around here and I'm "in the city". My daughter was trying to catch "just one" the other night running around the yard.

To me they are the coolest bug out there.
I'm with you, momof2dfw, I think they are the coolest!

I was born in IL and remember chasing lightening bugs when I was 3yrs old. I loved catching them in an old jelly jar and watching them for a little bit and then setting them free.

We never saw them in Lubbock, but when I moved to KY was thrilled to see them in my backyard. I just moved to Longview, TX 2 weeks ago and am happy to see them here as well. They fascinate me! I've been tent camping and saw them through the tent and looked out to see what was flashing outside our tent. I just think they are so fun!
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Old 06-14-2008, 03:22 PM
 
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I LOL lightning bugs! We used to catch them in mason jars when we were kids. We'd put some grass in the jar and the lightning bugs would would make it look magical. We called them our lightning bug lanterns. We would try to see how many we could get before it was bedtime and we let them go. This (and catching toad frogs and putting them in #3 washtubs) was always the major kid activity when company came over for the outdoor ice cream and / or watermelon parties. I agree...coolest little bug around.

They seem to be in abundance this year. I was surprised to see them outside my window a couple of weeks ago and have been seeing them nightly. I love it!
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Old 06-14-2008, 05:10 PM
 
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Great stories and memories, y'all! And excellent descriptions! Keep 'em coming!

Just on the off chance anyone feels like glancing thru something I once wrote which featured lightning bug swarms as the backdrop, here is a link to it:

Southern memoir - Family Reunion - Randy Hill

It isn't the story in entirety, but rather a much abbreviated and edited excerpt -- removing a lot of the characters -- from it. The original (much longer) story itself was fiction, but the memories and basic setting (which was what I attempted to narrate in this excerpt) are very much based on very real memories of youth!
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Old 06-14-2008, 09:48 PM
 
Location: Beaumont, Texas
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The only fireflies that I had seen, prior to moving to Texas, were the fake ones at Disneyland. During my first spring here, my neighbors would laugh at me as I would stand outside just looking at the things.
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Old 06-15-2008, 12:08 AM
 
Location: Metromess
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Fireflies and horny toads used to be numerous back tin the 50s and 60s, but I haven't seen either one around here since the 70s. I suspect that insecticide and lawn mowers did away with them. It's too bad; I liked them both.
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Old 06-15-2008, 07:08 AM
 
59 posts, read 214,284 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catman View Post
Fireflies and horny toads used to be numerous back tin the 50s and 60s, but I haven't seen either one around here since the 70s. I suspect that insecticide and lawn mowers did away with them. It's too bad; I liked them both.
Everything has gone down hill sense the 50s s 60s It's sad to see are country fall the way she has.
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