Saturday, November 8, 2008

Camera Critters #31

Camera Critters by Misty Dawn, go here to see who's participating.

Today for Camera Critters I offer a simple critter which you all know when you see it at night. It is setting on my Double Begonia. Do you know what it is?

What if you look at it head on, do you know now?
This is actually more of a give away. Take a close look at the tail end. Did you get it?
Why it is the common Lightning Bug/Fireflies (Lampyridae - I like the scientific name with a lamp start) . . You know it right off as it flies by with its back end blinking in the night calling for a mate. The larvae are called Glowworms because of the shining light in its tail. They are a member of the beetle family.

They are fun and easy to catch. Did you ever as a youngster take that back end off the Lightning Bug and put it on your finger for a ring? I know I have, what about you.

43 comments:

Sandy Kessler said...

Believe it or not have not seen for awhile in Fl sandy

Jeanne said...

That is so cool. Haven't seen one that up close and personal since I was a kid.

Cathy said...

I had a lot of fun with lightning bugs when I was little.

Dirkjogt said...

Nice picture, also small critters can be nice to see.

abb said...

Wonderful photos. Lightening bugs bring back such happy memories of childhood for me.

AppleDebbie said...

Growing up in California I've never seen an actual lightning bug. Great shots!

SaraG said...

I love lightening bugs! Used to catch them in a mason jar at my Aunt's house in Iowa!!
Great photos

Anonymous said...

Yes! I have wore them as wedding rings and put them in glass jars to use as a nightlight! Neat post-lots of childhood memories with lighting bugs.

ChrissyM said...

I used to enjoy catching lighting bugs.

Leedra said...

I did and never gave it a thought. Now I think about we were doing to the poor lightening bug.

Eki said...

The vibrant color of the flower is definitely an eye cather. It's a world of its own for this little nice criters.

bobbie said...

My favorite! A firefly! They always take me back to my childhood.

Carletta said...

'Shine little glowworm glimmer,....Lead us lest too far we wander, love's sweet voice is calling yonder...
I used to sing this in choir in grade school. The choir director changed the words to 'nature's voice' - guess we were too young to be thinking of love.
I never fail to sing a few lines when I see that out twinkling in the summer.

***Fotografia e Luz*** said...

Beautiful sequence of photos with this very interesting insect that has used the flower

Jane Hards Photography said...

Mrabellous close up, of another unfamiliar critter to me.

Unknown said...

Okay that is way to cool!

Lapa37 said...

Cute my kids just love them.I remember catching them when I was a kid.

Coy Hill said...

I never made a ring of their glow tails although I did smash many a lighting bug tail and smear it on my finger. Its amazing how these little buggers light up!

Cool post, excellent choice for CC!

marLou said...

I've always liked looking at lighting bugs when we are sitting around in our yard at summertime. Thats a beautiful begonia.

gina said...

yep...i recognized him right away. i've always had a special fondness for lightening bugs. :) good job.

Mary said...

I'm too busy looking at the beautiful begonia to look at the lightening bug :-) Great photos!

Ramblings of a Villas Girl said...

Hi FG: I used to catch fireflies growing up. Never pull the back end off though. I would hold them, cupped in my hands and watch them put on a show (fireworks in a childs mind). Thank you for bringing back those memories. Lisa

dot said...

I'm sure I must have caught them when I was a kid but I had forgotten what they look like.

Pat - Arkansas said...

Cool critter.. and an even lovlier begonia! We kids used to chase fireflies and put them in a jar with holes punched in the lid. Our mother would always make us turn them loose before we went to bed.

Anonymous said...

When I was growing up in Ohio, lightning bugs lit up the night. If only I had a penny for every one I caught in mason jars!! Now they are no where to be found. I miss them. I love the photo.

Val said...

I love to see the lightning bugs come! We won't be seeing any for a while since it is winter here in Ga. I saw your catfish. We love to fish. That is what I caught this past summer. I loved them until I got stung by a fin!! OOOh it hurt.

Kelly said...

Oh my goodness! This brings back such wonderful childhood memories! I loved catching and chasing lightning bugs as a child!! Ooohh! Even now, they bring such a smile and warm feeling inside me when I see them. I will have to say that I didn't recognize them in the daylight. What a Great post!!! Thanks for sharing!

Sandi McBride said...

Ah, a firefly...my favorite in the insect world...happy to see one, we'll see more in June..the flower she's resting on isn't half bad, either!
Sandi

Sherri Kaye said...

Great shots. I absolutely love the color.

Misty DawnS said...

I used to catch them and put them in a jar (with holes punched in the lid). Then, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt and I would turn off the lights and watch them in the jar :-D I'd name each one (no matter how many I caught) and then I'd take them outside and let them go.

I used to date a guy (before Hubs) who had two daughters, and I passed this fun along to them. The youngest, about 7 at the time, went to my aunt and asked "Aunty, do you have a Lightnin' Bug jar we could use?"

magiceye said...

beautiful critter captures!

Lilli & Nevada said...

Oh my have not seen them in yrs. we don'thave them here. we use to put them in a jar and the jar would light up. Of course that was when i was a kid, wouldn't do that now.

Christy said...

Great macro shots. Can't say that I ever did the ring thing but I do remember catching them as a kid and I look forward to when my boys do the same thing. Of course always releasing them at the end of the day.

Ashrunner said...

It's been a long time since I have seen Lightning Bugs. We don't have them on the high desert. Sure brought back some cool memories as a kid in a Chicago suburb.

Cathy said...

Oh my I do remember making the ring on my finger. I didn't know they were in the beetle family.

kjpweb said...

Neat shot! Never saw one before!
Cheers, Klaus

Reader Wil said...

For me it wasn't a give away! I have never seen a firefly! That's why CC is so interesting! Every time there are new animals to see.Thanks for sharing.

Katrina said...

I must admit, I didn't recognize the firefly at first...I didn't grow up with them since I lived in the city were they would spray incesticide to kill them :( Now that I am raising my family in the country, I can't wait to help my boys catch them for their bug jars in the summer.

Gretchen said...

Great shots!

Pietro Brosio said...

Nice and interesting sequence, Fishing Guy. I liked to look at lightning bugs when I was a child in my aunt's country house. I enjoyed those flying lights in the green and in the silence of the country!

Twisted Fencepost said...

I knew what that was in the first shot. I spent my life in the country. I never made a ring, but we caught them and put them in a jar. Then set them free.
I still like to catch lightning bugs. Just to say I still can.

Tina said...

Wow FG, now you are bringing back those ole home memories.. yea, I used to catch them and love to watch them light up in my hand!! Thanks that was fun!

Mike "Hawk" Huston said...

Hua Kola brother, haven't been on for a while... saw your wonderful comments about my blog.. on David's interview..thanks.. i hope to be doing some more writing this winter, thanks for stopping by and look forward to your comments, keep your chin to the wind and stay safe... your friend HAWK.a/ho