Fireflies

[Baccus]

I went out firefly hunting last night and got rewarded by finding 6 between getting eaten alive by mosquitos, the threat of large limbs falling on me due to the strong wind and the odd fast passing shower of rain.
Here are two of the dear little critters

and underneath flashing section


For such tiny beetles they sure can pump out some light.

Later when we got home and lay on the bed watching the fireflies blinking away in their holding cage, I had to comment "How sad are we?, being blown away by some glowing beetles" But if that is what it takes to never lose the wonder of nature and to be constantly captivated by the smallest of our planets creatures then I choose being SAD every day

 

[AshleyNZ]

Wow, they look awesome! 
I wish I could get the chance to see these guys in real life someday

 

[Baccus]

I know fireflies are found pretty much all over the world, I just don't know if any are local to NZ, maybe south island would be too cold for them but I would think parts of north island would suit them.
I am pretty sure in NZ you have good colonies of glow worms, which is something I would LOVE to see.
 
Ah, just did a quick search and there is a cave system on north island which is apparently famous for fireflies. Waitomo Caves which is 2 hours south of Auckland and 1 hr south of Hamilton.

 

[AshleyNZ]

Ah yes, Waitomo caves are BEAUTIFUL. It was so cool to go there, we were in underground caves, in a boat, getting to see all these glow worms. Pretty awesome sight to see, I must go up there sometime again

 

[Baccus]

I have seen Waitomo caves on TV, so if you do go again, pictures, pictures and more pictures. If I want to see glow worms I think the closest place is around a 9 hr drive one way to the south of me.

 

[AshleyNZ]

I went when I was in year 5 at school, long before I had any camera at all. 
 
If I went again all I'd be looking with would be a lens

 

[Baccus]

It appears to be firefly season again

which for me means late night weekends and plenty of bush walking and coming home with closes full of cobblers peg weed seeds.
So here are some new photos of these tiny flashing gems...

This one only has a single glow section and from memory that would make it a male


These I am pretty sure are female with their two glow sections


I tried to photograph them actually flashing, which was harder to do than say but here are a couple of photos that worked. First one was just a single flash

This one two flashed, one on the front of the jar the other over the other side of the jar and looking like a much tinier light.

 

[Baccus]

Some more pictures with more obliging an flashing

 

[Baccus]

We went to a different place tonight still only roughly 40 minute drive to see if we could see any fireflies, since we had seen the odd one there previously. Well it turned out to be a spectular and knowledge expanding experience.
Not only where there fireflies but they where super bright and the flashing displays as they flew out of and around the nearby scrub was breath taking. We werent sure the fireflies would actually be out and about since it was getting late (around 8pm-9pm) overcast and quite gusty winds with near constant breezes. Sadly the sandfllies where also out in force but thankfully no mosquitos. I dont think we could have stayed long if both biting pests had of been attacking us mercilessly.
Now for the interesting thing, it appears that the fireflies at the river are a different species/ sub-species to the fireflies at Mt Archer. Mt Archer was in plane view just across the river from where we were, but the fireflies are amazingly different.
The river fireflies have much longer bodies, more orange on their bodies and much larger light up sections on their abdomens, the light structures are also very different to the Mt Archer ones. Even their mating is different. With the Mt Archer fireflies the two beetles meet abdomen to abdomen pointing away from each other. While the River fireflies tend to mate more side by side both facing in the same direction.
 
The first picture is a Mt Archer firefly.
 

 
These are River Fireflies

 

[*pete*]

Fascinating, we don't have Fireflies in my part of the world so have never had the pleasure of seeing them in person, only on wildlife shows on TV.
 
We do have Gloworms (Not worms at all they're beetles) but only the flightless females glow to attract/guide in the winged flying males. I had the pleasure of  finding a colony when walking the dogs late evening on a boating holiday in the UK a couple of years back.
 
The naturalist and wildlife writer/TV presenter Chris Packham calls them "Grass Stars" and I've seen why !
 
Its often little the Critters that get overlooked/ignored... now that's SAD !!!

 

[Baccus]

I am thinking about planning a holiday down to the Glass House Mountains so I can see glow worms, there are colonies of them in different cave systems down that way. Fireflies are amazing and great fun to watch, but I have always been interested in glow worms, perhaps because I have never lived near to where they are actually found.
Sometimes the small things can be more breathtaking than largest panoramic vista

 ​its all about perspective.
Here's a quick video of the fireflies flashing
 
http/s1139.photobucket.com/user/Baccus4702/media/VIDEO0044_zpszslnqu8o.mp4.html?filters[user]=115434110&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=41

 

[benthyer]

They are so cool! Just like Pete I haven't seen fireflies other than on TV due to living in the UK, but I haven't seen glowworms either so will keep my eyes peeled for them now!

 

[*pete*]

Just found this... not sure if its up to date but its a good start/guide.
 
 
www.glowworms.org.uk/#latest_reports

 

[jag51186]

My yard swarms with fireflies in the summer, they are fantastic! I always try to take pictures of them, but it is tough. Just out of curiosity, what do you do with the little ones you catch??

 

[PepperjacksMama]

Never had the pleasure of seeing glow worms. But like jag51186, fireflies swarm in the summer.
Every year in late May, early June I anxiously await them in the evenings. Just not Summer til I see them.