Maybe I'm losing my mind, but last night as I was relaxing with a cold Sam Adams (the beer, not the patriot), I noticed brilliant yellow flashes winking on and off in the still evening air.
Are lightning bugs supposed to be out this early? I don't know if global warming has anything to do with it, but lightning bugs are welcome in my yard anytime. I remember as a kid catching 20 or so, putting them in an empty jelly jar, and carrying it around like a lantern to light my way. Now when I need to see where I'm going at night, those flashing blue lights of the police cars do quite nicely.
More Incredible Intelligence About Lightning Bugs!!! Male lightning bugs flash to attract mates. There are a number of different species and each flashes its own "code" so males can tell who's who. Well, the female of one type, Photuris, intentionally flashes the wrong code, so that she can entice a smaller male of a different species. When he alights with a drink in his hand and a glint in his abdomen, she bites off his head and eats him! This only makes a difficult dating scene even worse. Shame, Photuris! I bet you're a Hillary supporter.
