Firefly Reports from Texas by Donald Burger, Houston, TX

Firefly Reports from Texas
Selected by Donald Ray Burger
Attorney at Law

To submit your own report email burger@burger.com
Please include your city/town and state, and the date of your sighting. Include as many details as you can, such as numbers of fireflies, location (rural/city/wooded area, etc), temperature, time, and so on. Thanks for helping with this project.

Below are reports from Texas, listed in date order, alphabetically by city.

Allen:

June 20, 2002: A reader writes: I live in Allen, Texas, and have only seen an occasional firefly in my back yard which on the east side of my home. However, just this past Saturday, June 15th, while my husband, daughter, niece and I were driving through the historical district of McKinney, Texas, we were amazed! Primarily because my husband and I hadn't seen lightening bugs (old timers name for fireflies) since we were children and the girls had never seen them except for an occasional flicker while we were driving through the woods of the Texas hill country. There were so many on Saturday evening that we were all impressed. We continued to drive through the area for almost an hour just spotting them.

Arlington:

July 11 2011: A reader writes: Hello there Donald! Great to connect with like minded persons with a common interest in preserving firefly habitat. I do see a lot of fireflies each year during May/June at River Legacy Park (along the Trinity River) here in Arlington, Texas. . Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping this blog!

Austin:

April 3, 2006: A reader reports: Didn't know if you are still taking sightings of fireflies. I have three. I recently moved from Houston to North Austin, Texas, one year ago, April 2005. About mid April our front yard and back yard were swarming with fireflies. It became a twilight event to sit in the back yard on our deck and just watch them. This lasted until about September as they gradually faded till there were none left. I am anxiously awaiting their arrival this year. I have started to sit on the deck at twilight, they haven't shown up yet. We live in neighborhood that is backed by a ravine and greenbelt. Although the ravine is mostly dry during the year there are a lot of trees and brush. The entire neighborhood has them, as well as the main road that leads to highway183. These are a large golden variety. In Houston, actually Friendswood, Texas, which is about 30 minuets south of Houston and 20 minuets north of Galveston there is a park where fireflies still flourish. Frankie Randolf Carter park off of FM 2351 at twilight is teeming with lightening bugs. If one looks down into the trails as the sun goes down one can see what look to be blinking Christmas lights in the trees and hovering about the trail. We discovered the fireflies in about mid May. They only seem to be around for a month or two in Friendswood, but they are there. These were a smaller golden variety. In Heritage Park subdivision between Friendswood and Webster, Texas, there are a few, but not many little green phosphorous bugs that will show up in June till August. Usually we would only see a handful at a time and it was very inconsistent that they would be out. It was very hit or miss. These were seen in the back portion of the old Heritage Park neighborhood off of Bay Area Blvd. Next to what is now a Super Target.
June 4, 2005: 11 year old Nate reports: On June 1, 2005, at around 9:00 to 9:30 p.m., in northwest Austin, Texas, near a creek in a very wet area watered by a lot of sprinklers at an office park where my Dad works, I saw lots of fireflies.
June 2, 2005: Paul K. Smith notes: I live in Austin, Texas, in a neighborhood with many fireflies. I have noticed that during the day they like to rest on the crepe myrtle trees in my condo complex. I have a theory that they eat the sap of those trees. So maybe planting more crepe myrtles in Houston might help support fireflies?
May 24, 2005: A reader writes: I live on the Gulf Coast of Texas and never see fireflies here but have a sister in Austin, Texas, who has them this time of year in her back yard. She does have a pond and there are Many trees in the neighborhood but she also lives about 6 blocks off Interstate 35. I'm hopeing to import fireflies to my own back yard as I have a pond, trees, and many flowering plants. So far have not found anyone selling fireflies.
May 21, 2005: L. Langee writes: There weren't any fireflies when I moved to northwest Austin, Texas, six years ago. There are fireflies, though, in the other parts parts of the city and in outlying areas. About four years ago a friend of our neighbor caught some (maybe ten or so), and released them here. Now, the firefly population has grown so that we can spot several in everyone's yard. If you want fireflies in your yard, try to see if there are a few in a nearby town and drive them over. Have patience and perhaps the following year you'll be pleasantly surprised.
May 14, 2002: A reader reports: My pups and I just returned from our walk and I got on the net to look up fireflies since we encountered many this evening. We live in north Austin, Texas, in an urban area of townhomes. Our property (37 acres) is heavily treed (mostly oaks in front of my home). The fireflies have become more numerous over the past five years or so though I don't remember seeing any when I first moved here ten years ago. In fact, I don't remember seeing any at all since those I recall from my childhood in upstate New York. They seem to come out about dusk (8:30ish) and some nights put on a greater display in numbers than others. Our property is situated between two water sources one being a creek and the other being a spillway for rain accumulation. There are four light poles around the perimeter of my small park all of which emit a moderate amount of light. I hope this is helpful to you if you're still tabulating firefly information. They are such a delight and we look forward to their return each year. Their preferred month here is May though a few stragglers can sometimes be seen later in the summer. Good luck in your quest!
May 12, 2002: A reader notes: I found your site today. Thanks for doing it! I am taking my children to my mom's house tonite, in northwest Austin, Texas. Her backyard is FULL of fireflies and every year we go to capture a few and get them to flourish on our land NE of Austin, near Manor. They never have "taken off" here, for some reason. I wonder if you have a suggestion? We are in the middle of 200 acres, FEW trees (do they prefer trees and bushes?) It is always windy here(do they blow away?) I wonder...we always capture the ones we see, blinking. Do both male and females blink? Or, are we just capturing one sex and bringing them to the farm to be frustrated to death?? :)
April 18, 2002: A reader writes: Just as many of your readers have written, I grew up and lived most of my life in Houston, and remember those beautiful fireflies of early childhood out in Cy-Fair in the late 60's, early 70's. There is something magical about the sighting of a swarm of them, or even just a lone glowing critter. Several years back, after tiring of being a city-dweller, I pondered the same question as you -- "Where have all the fireflies, or lightenin' bugs as we called them, gone?" My partner and I move to Austin, Texas, a little over a year ago, and I believe I have some more answers. Like many other Houstonians, they've all moved here to Austin! They are everywhere here! Not just at Mt. Bonnell, or out in the country or in parks, they live in my front and back yards right smack in the middle of the city. Last night at about 8:00 as we were letting the dogs out for one last tinkle, we noticed a familiar beacon -- about 4-10 little pulses of light flitting around our yard. We noticed that we hadn't yet turned on the porch light, so it was pastoral and dusky, basically dark. Part of the answer has to be the light pollution. So we just sat out there for an hour, in the backyard in the dark, just like when we were kids, and remembered the simpler times. Thanks for your site.
April 12, 2001: A reader writes: On April 12,2001 we were camping at Onion Creek, just west of Austin, Texas. As night fell, we saw small swarms of fireflies as well as scatterings of fireflies throughout the area. It was wonderful! It was Spring, so the temperature was moderate. The landscape there includes a large creek lined on both sides with large Cypress trees and lots of other vegetation. It reminded me of my childhood, where I saw LOTS of fireflies regularly - in Houston! We lived on the Buffalo Bayou in the area between Westheimer & Memorial Drive. But, that was more than 20 years ago - the late 1970's. I left Houston when I graduated high school in 1983. When I was in graduate school in Nacogdoches, Texas, (Pine country) in the late 80's and early 90's, we saw tons of fireflies regularly. Now we live in Fort Worth in an older neighborhood with lots of large trees and a nearby creek; we just see the occasional firefly in our backyard. In fact we saw one (yes, only one!) two nights ago - June 18th, 2001. We do not use pesticides of any sort and neither does most of our immediate neighbors - I can't help but feel that the use of lawn pesticides by homeowners is a major culprit for the disappearance of fireflies (at least in suburban areas) as well as the diminishment of a host of other insects, frogs, toads, lizards, & such. What we are seriously wondering is how we can perhaps "import" or "transplant" fireflies back to our area. We don't know how or if this is even possible; I am "researching" it now! Meanwhile, best of luck getting the fireflies back to Houston!!
June 28, 2001:A reader notes: I am responding to your website regarding fireflies in Houston. I too have wondered what happened to them. I used to see them all of the time in Houston when I was younger. Just in case you are still seeking input on firefly "spotting", my place in Austin, Texas, is positively teaming with the critters! I live in an urban area around the vicinity of Zilker Park. It is pretty bright in my neighborhood (a lot of street lights, etc.) so I don't really know if urban lighting conditions has anything to do with it? I haven't really seen them recently, but they were out in full force about 1 month ago (end of May 2001). It was great. There were tons! They arrived around 8.30pm and stayed for about an hour. Also, two years ago while camping in Stephen F. Austin State Park (near Houston), I remember encountering tons of fireflies there. This was in mid-summer. It was also pretty dark out there.
May 12, 2000: A reader notes: I live in Austin, Texas, and I'm buying a house. My friend and her 3 year old son are coming to live with me soon, so we met the other night for dinner and a stroll to talk about the move. As we walked past a yard, I noticed a few fireflies. The child was ENTHRALLED! He had never in his life seen fireflies, and we stayed for about 30 minutes - the home-owners coming out to join us. I observed that the fireflies seemed to hover under the trees of the yard (would have to go back to identify the trees). However, the grass under the trees was a different type of grass than that in the open areas of the yard. Seemed to be a brighter green. So I don't know if thetrees/shade or the grass or both attracted the beautiful glowing flies. I have promised the little boy that we will plant whatever it takes to get fireflies in our yard. So, I may travel back to the sighting and examine the trees and grass.
October 5, 2000: Eddie Burkhalter notes: Thanks for your web page and e-mail address! I got them from the Texas Co-op Power magazine. I live in Gillespie County, 12 miles east of Fredericksburg. I had hoped when moving back to Texas from the Seattle area that I would relish in the firefly displays of my youth! Not so! I haven't seen a one of them here! My son has a few in his back yard in Austin, Texas. My mother, who was an untrained naturalist of sorts (simply because she was an astute observer of nature) claimed that mowed grass and trimmed landscape eliminated the cover necessary. Using "native plantings" would help. She also claimed that the use of fertilizer and herbicides would reduce if not eliminate fireflies. Well, that makes sense to me. I have no concrete basis for her theories. Out here, this 60 acres we bought and moved onto last November has been used as a working farm since the middle of the 1800s. (We even have a cabin built in 1849!) The previous owner mowed everything that wasn't plowed. That is, he mowed from the field, around the house and outbuildings, down the flood plain where the huge pecan and live oak trees are and right to the creek bank. Only the vegetation on the steep creek bank remained. It seems reasonable that with that much mowing, there wasn't habitat no matter what was planted in the fields. (Peaches, mostly). We are organic farmers just getting started and trying to build up depleted soil. Also, we've quit mowing most of the "flood plane" area. We will mow under the pecan trees at harvest time, however. Because of this dreadful drought, our creek with its natural springs and 200 year old cypress trees has completely dried up. (Hope the trees can stand the stress!) The water table is that low. Obviously, we haven't watered anything except a small patch of lawn for the grand babies' bare feet and the garden area. Everything around here has had to cope on its own. Does that drive the fireflies away or kill them? I don't know. We have fire ants around here, if that is a factor. There is a wonderful butterfly farm in Fredericksburg, and I shall visit that owner some time and get advice on plantings to attract butterflies. Maybe that will work, also, for the fireflies. I miss those fireflies terribly! And since my two sons grew up in Suburbia, USA, with fertilizer, mosquito spray trucks, trimmed boxwood neighbors and mowed St. Augustine grass, my sons don't have childhood memories of fireflies. But I'd surely like for those grand babies to learn how to catch them and keep them in a fruit jar till bedtime, etc.
July 29, 1999: A reader reports: How wonderful that you have a web site about fireflies! I was just so delighted to find that other people are as smitten with them as I. I was born and raised in Southeast Texas around Beaumont and there were fireflies everywhere. I grew up (unfortunately) and moved to Los Angeles in 1989. I just moved back home to Austin, Texas, last summer. This summer, around May I guess, I was at my boyfriend's house and lo and behold - right around dusk - fireflies! I just burst into tears. Such wonderful memories of my childhood on Pine Island Bayou came to me and I remembered the joy of watching the fireflies. My mother, in her infinite wisdom, never let us "catch and bottle" them, but we would sit outside long after dark and catch them in our cupped palms for up-close inspection. Have they been missing for some years? I don't ever recall seeing them on visits home over the years. Perhaps I was just not looking. My boyfriend lives in an old neighborhood in central Austin. There are lots of huge old trees and the street is kind of dark. They are still out now at the end of July but not as many as there were in May and June. I wait for them every night - they feel like friends. What joy. Thank you so much for putting the site together. Makes one feel young again doesn't it all?
May 10, 1997: A reader spotted a few fireflies in the backyard of a friend in south Austin, Texas.
Summer, 1996: A reader spotted fireflies in the backyard of a friend who lives in north central Austin, Texas.

Bandera:

July 23, 2002: A reader writes: Hi there! We have a few acres close to Bandera, Texas, and there I saw my first fireflies since I was a teenager. They appeared, or we noticed them, mid April. We'd see them at dusk but in much greater numbers in full dark. There were hundreds around dry creek bed, but their numbers diminished by mid June {it was very dry by then} and disappeared by the end of June. You may have heard we had a lot of rain in early July so that may have brought them back. We saw them again last night, July 22. My neighbors never see any but they have strong floodlights on at night. Sorry, we have no source of firefly eggs. Thank you for caring
April 29, 1999: A reader notes: We live in the hill country (outside of Bandera, Texas) and have A LOT of fireflies! Just tonight my 7 yr old daughter came to the back door with fireflies all over her shirt. She had caught them in no time and put them on her clothing so she could light up. :) The fireflies are so pretty in the evening.
April, 1998: A reader writes, "I believe it was April when we noticed quite a few fireflies in our Lakehills yard (close to Medina Lake-out of Bandera, Texas). I commented on the fact it had been ages since seeing them. We've lived here only one year. The property is quiet, wooded-in the natural state. Haven't seen them since.
Bexar County: July 24, 2002: A reader writes: Dear Mr. Burger, I am writing to let you know that I read your article in the Express News in San Antonio, Texas, (July 23,2002) about fireflies and it brought back memories of those summer nights at my grandma's house who lived by Calaveras Lake in San Antonio,Texas. We loved to chase after them in the dark to see if we could catch them. There would usually be lots of them. Now I look for them in our backyard in South Bexar County, Texas, but I have not seen any this year to show my children who really don't know what I mean when I talk about bugs with lights. I did spot one last summer. I hope you can find out why they have disappeared and how we can get them back .

Birch:

May 20, 2002: A reader writes: I live halfway between Somerville and Caldwell, Texas, in what's called the Birch community. I live on a dead end road and across the street from our small horse farm the property is wooded as is some of our property. Ever since we have lived here there have been fireflies. We first see them about the middle part of May and then we see them nightly until the hottest part of July. There are not as many now as there were several years ago. I would venture to say less than half of what I used to see although this cool weather may have a bearing on that aspect. Fireflies are fascinating creatures and quite mysterious in their magical lights appearing in the darkness. It is pleasant to sit out on the front porch with a cup of coffee and watch them light up in the woods across the street.

Boerne:

May 1, 2006: Marietta McCall reports: I wanted to share with you that I was watering my herb garden last nite about 8:00 P.M. and I saw my first firefly for this year. I saw only one but was surprised at that. I live in Boerne, Texas, and have shared my sightings with you in the past. We have Acorn Bed and Breakfast and our back yard has been designated a Backyard Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. We have a brook and a pond (great water sources for birds,butterflies and insects) and we garden for wildlife,birds, and butterflies. I shall keep you posted when I see more fireflies. I should mention that I grew up in New Jersey and we always called them "lightning bugs". They are really an experience to behold you cannot describe what they are like to someone who has never seen them. I treasure the wonder of them each time I look for them in the evening around dusk.
May 12, 2005: Marietta MCall, owner of Acorn Bed and Breakfast writes: I live in Boerne, Texas, and on Sunday, Mother's Day, we had a terrible storm. We got 3 1/2 inches of rain in about 2 hours. That night at about 8:30 pm I saw my first fireflies for the season in our back yard. We live in the Texas Hill Country and our back yard is a designated backyard habitat ,very green and lush with bird and butterfly gardens, babbling brook and fishpond. You can see pics by going to www.acornbandb.net. I saw about 20 fireflies Sunday night and every night since then, I continue to see them about 8:30 each night. I wonder if I am first to report a sighting for 2005. I shall keep you posted about more sightings and if the numbers increase as time goes by this Spring. Warm regards.
July 23, 2002: A reader writes: Hi. I live in Boerne, Texas, which is in the Hill Country north of San Antonio. (I was raised in LaMarque and very familiar with fireflies as a child.) We have a lot of them here every summer and I love to watch them. I notice that they seem to be more abundant around the cedar trees. Friends in San Antonio tell me they don't see them, so urban sprawl must be part of the problem. Let's hope they don't go the way of the horned toad!!
July 19, 2002: Dr. Patrick E. McDaniel writes: Just a couple of week ago in the Boerne, Texas, area we noted quite a few fireflies. This was shortly after some heavy rains, and it seemed to be more than we had been seeing in the last couple of summers.

Brazoria:

July 5, 2002: A reader notes: As most people I remember fireflies as a young girl. Last night after popping our fireworks we spotted a few fireflies here in Brazoria, Texas. . We started to tell our stories of fireflies, and all the night adventures we all had, when the subject turned to "I wonder how we can get them back?". Butterfly plants were brought up, and the question was put forth to search the web, and find how we can help the fireflies population come back in our area. I see on your website the places that do not sell the bugs, but can you give some info. on how to help them come back, or where we can purchase them? Thank you for your website and your time.

Brazos Bend State Park:

May 22, 2005: A reader writes: We just went to Brazos Bend State Park in Texas, and I saw my very first fireflies! They were amazing! I came across your website when I first moved here to Texas from California two years ago and I was bummed that there didn't seem to be many firefly sightings in the area because I so wanted to see one after seeing the display about them at the Butterly Exhibit at the Natural Science Museum. Well, let me tell you that we hiked at dusk around the large lake at Brazos and they were in the brush lighting up so nicely. When it grew dark we went to the Observatory and they were there too! Unfortunately we saw some boys that had caught some in a jar and I just wanted to tell their parents to teach them to appreciate nature better. Anyway, here's the info about the sighting: 5/21/05, around 8 pm or when it was starting to get dark, large lake - about one firefly every two feet (in the brush/trees along the right side of the hiking path, not the side where the water is), path to observatory - a handful of fireflys (on both sides where the little bridge crosses the water). According to my partner, who has seen tons of fireflies in Virgina, our sighting had a "medium amount" of fireflies.
March 17, 1997: A reader reported seeing a single firefly in the backyard of the house near Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, at FM 1462 and 762.
May 3, 1997: A reader further reported seeing three or four fireflies in the backyard of the house near Brazos Bend State Park at FM 1462 and 762.

Brookside Village:

June 1, 2005: A reader writes: I am writing you in response to the article I read on your website concerning fireflies in Houston. I live just south of Beltway 8 in Brookside Village, Texas, on the north side of Pearland, and first noticed fireflies in my yard, and primarily the vacant lot adjoining my lot about May 11. They have become even more plentiful in the past few days. I grew up in Houston, off Edgebrook, and have never seen fireflies in the area. I was used to traveling to relatives homes, about 60 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee, where they are a staple of every summer evening. In fact I took my daughter there two years ago to introduce her to that spectacle. I was excited to discover them here in the Houston area and am hoping they have been thriving in my location, as this is my first summer at this home.
May 15, 2005: I went to your website concerning tomatoes in Houston, and noticed the article on fireflies. I have always enjoyed fireflies when visiting relatives in Tennesee, about 60 miles south of Nashville, where they have always been very plentiful. On Wednesday, May 11, 2005, I was suprised to notice a number of fireflies in my yard and the vacant lot adjoining it in Brookside Village, Texas, on the north side of Pearland and just south of the beltway. I am a native Houstonian, having grown up in a neighborhood near Edgebrook and the Gulf Freeway, and have never seen fireflies in this area either. I am hoping that this will be an anual event, I just moved into this house in February, and was very happy to discover them.

Bryan:

May 29, 2005: Lola Mensing notes: I live in Bryan, Texas, and have seen fireflies for the first time in almost 50 years. I am not native to this area, but to Southern California where these insects are practically non-existent. The last time I was able to see them was on a family visit to rural southern Alabama when I was nine. Our home is inside the city, but our backyard is like its own nature preserve where we have observed owls, a fox, squirrels, raccoons, and many species of birds. Because, in the past few weeks, I have seen the fireflies in my backyard, I started searching the web for information about them and came across your site. After viewing an excellent photo of fireflies from the Ohio State website, I noticed that the Crepe Myrtle trees in the parking lot where I work seem to be a feeding/resting place for them. If the beetles I have observed in these trees are truly fireflies, they also seem to have the ability to "spit" into the air surrounding them. I say "spit" even though the minute moisture particles appear to emanate from the anterior region of the beetle. I was hoping that you would be able to confirm my conclusions regarding the beetles I have seen by either acknowledging that unusual activity or that Crepe Myrtles may be a preferred food source for adults. I have enjoyed visiting your website and reading about other sightings. July 1, 1999: A reader reports: I am writing in regard to the fireflies. I love them. I live in Bryan-College Station, Texas, and I had fireflies in my back yard. I just returned from Ely, in northern Minnesota, and there were some up there and it was just wonderful to see them.

Burleson:

September 9, 2000: Bob & Rosalind Ray report: We observed fireflies in our backyard, on September 8, 2000 in Burleson, Texas. We saw several after dark about 8:00 p.m.. We have quite a bit of landscaping, crape myrtles, geraniums, hibiscus, zenanas, yaupon holly, hummingbird plants and nandina. All of our beds are bordered with monkey grass. We use only organic fertilizer and no pesticides.

Calaveras Lake:

July 23, 2002: Lynnie Bunen writes: We've been seeing fireflies here since April for sure and still are seeing them most nights now. There are large numbers I'd say. There are enough that you can identify that there are 20-50 individuals flashing in the area. We are located just southeast of San Antonio, Texas, near Calaveras Lake. We are on a 26 acre tract with a two acre pond. We have some artificial lighting around the house, but mostly it's not too intrusive. The land is fairly flat. We have fire ants, harvester ants, mosquitos, barn swallows and all sorts of other stuff. This place was purchased last October. Previously, it had been a small horse farm, but as far as I can tell, very little pesticide was used, if any. The property is pretty natural since the previous owner died about four years ago.

Carrizo Springs:

April 22, 1999: A reader notes: Regarding it being too hot and humid in Houston... Our kids were outside catching fireflies last night, and afterwards we looked up info on the net about them ( and ran across your site). We live in Carrizo Springs, Texas, on a ranch where we see them every spring (I believe). It's much hotter here, though perhaps not quite as humid as where you are.

Castell:

May 25, 2005: Chris Moser writes: My family and I spent last week in Castell, Texas, on the Llano River. Plenty of fireflies came out at about 9 pm each night on the heavily vegetated slope leading down to the river.

Cedar Hill:

June 1. 2002: A reader notes: Last night (May 31, 2002) in Cedar Hill, Texas about 20 miles south of Dallas, I saw three fireflies in my back yard. I grabbed my 5 year old son and 3 year old daughter and went to the closest park to my house. We found another 5 fireflies flying around. I let the kids go and try to catch them. It was some great fun and lasted about 45 minutes. I am from West Chester, Pennsylvania and this is the first time I've seen fireflies in Texas. I do not know who was more excited, the kids or me. Hopefully they will be out again so I can video tape the hunt.

Cedar Park:

May 23, 2005: Wendy Di Pietro writes: I spotted my first firely last night in Cedar Park, Texas, and then, about two hours later, my husband got to see it too. Seemed to be a solo fella.
September 11, 2000: Susan Milliner notes: I loved your website. We moved in June of 1999 to Cedar Park, Texas, north border of Austin, Texas, and last May we saw several fireflies in our yard. Not as many as we used to have in St.Louis in the 40's but it was fun seeing them. I hope you are still taking "sitings". I plan to share your information with my grandchildren.

Chandler:

August 13, 1999: A reader writes: I too came to the web for information on the long lost fireflies from my youth. My wife, son and I have just moved to Chandler, Texas, to find a single firefly in the yard. I would love any information on how to draw more fireflies to my area. My mom, who lives in Athens, Texas, has spotted a single firefly in her yard as well.

Clear Lake:

April 9, 2008: A reader reports: Large bugs and plentiful in Clear Lake, Texas. Using Google Earth, I can see that northwest of Space Center drive there is a large drainage channel that runs parallel to the road. The field in-between the road and channel is full of flashing bugs. Space Center Dr. runs "behind" Johnson Space Center NASA.
May 3, 2006: A reader notes: We live in Clear Lake, Texas, (just south of Houston, not far from NASA JSC) and we saw two fireflies in our backyard about two weeks ago, I think around April 22. I was so excited - I've lived in the area for nearly 15 years and have never seen them here! I'm originally from Maine and grew up taking fireflies for granted, but now I consider it a special treat! And in our own backyard! It was fairly late in the evening, perhaps 10 - 10:30 p.m., so quite dark. Our backyard has several different varieties of plants, and I have (I think) a pair of hummingbirds that frequent my Mexican sage, honeysuckle, and other flowers. We also have monarchs all the time. Our house backs up to a nature preserve/bayou-ish area. I haven't seen them since, but an abundance of snakes this year are keeping me from enjoying the yard as much as I would like! Do you have any tips on keeping snakes out the yard?
July 3, 1998: A reader reports: Saw a firefly dive into my lawn in Clear Lake, Texas.

Cleburne:

November 10, 2001: A reader reports: I'm a little late in emailing you, but I wanted to report that I saw fireflies on our farm this summer through most of October 2001. We live on a 235-acre farm between Cleburne and Grandview, Texas. It's about a 40-minute drive from downtown Fort Worth. The farm has been in my husband's family for three generations. My husband and I asked to move out here two years ago. Since it hasn't been actively farmed since my husband's grandmother died over 10 years ago, it's in a bit of a "weedy" state. His grandmother did not use chemicals to kill the weeds and neither will we. There are some very large oak trees in some spots and cleared pasture in others. The pastures are a mix of coastal and native grasses and are of mostly sandy soil. We have five ponds (one separated from the rest by the highway). It's been a rather long and mild summer and I have really enjoyed seeing the fireflies most every night. We have only have two yardlights, plus the lights from our small house. The fireflies are not in swarms but usually several can be seen at once trailing around. I thought they would be gone by the end of August, but we've had several stragglers staying through October. They are magical. We have several horses and one of the prettiest things I've witnessed is a firefly landing in my foal's mane one dark night. It just stayed there and glowed in her mane for a minute before flying off. I'd love to figure out how to raise them even though it's a two year process. I'm a pretty patient person. ;-)

Comfort:

May 24, 2002: Sherry Carter reports: I just came upon your website as a result of a google search on fireflies. I recently took a trip to the Texas Hill Country (I live in Missouri City, a suburb of Houston) and I came upon some fireflies in a little town called Comfort, Texas. I spotted them along Cypress Creek, which runs through the town. It was the weekend of May 17 - 18 and it had just rained. I hadn't seen fireflies since I was a child on my grandparents farm in West Texas. I would love to know how to bring fireflies to Houston. I was wondering if you had any new information on this topic (your web page didn't indicate when it was last updated). I think you're onto something with creating a habitat conducive to firefly reproduction. But what causes them to hang out in one place and not another? I like the idea of bringing fireflies to the Houston area and I plan to do some more research on this topic.

Corpus Christi

March 15, 2004: In the first report for 2004, a reader notes: I have not seen fireflies for about 15 years in south eastern Canada. I have been in south Texas for those last 15 years and just last night in Corpus Christi, Texas, after two days of light rain, at about 7pm - 8pm I saw fireflies flickering, rate about 2 per 100 square feet. I called to my wife "remember the fireflies up north?, they are here too." I just thought they were a northern insect. Anyhow, sparking my thoughts, I decided to look on the web to see where they travel. I found your site and make this report.

Cove:

July 12, 1999:A reader notes: My husband and I have just moved to the small community of Cove, Texas, (just east of Baytown) in Chambers County. One of our greatest joys was the discovery of fireflies, or lightning bugs as we called them when I was a child. We have about two acres of land in a developed subdivision called Plantation on Cotton Bayou. Our back property line is Cotton Bayou. So there's some basis for the dampness part of the theory you've uncovered. Our lot is also heavily wooded and, needless to say, we are far from the city lights. Since we just moved in a couple of months ago, we've only sodded our lot with St. Augustine. There's been no formal landscaping done and there are no plans to do any. We will use as much in the way of native plants as we can. Our first sighting was about two or three weeks before we moved in. We have continued to see them as late as this past weekend (July 12) so am not sure what that says about the heat factor. Read your site with interest. Will continue to keep you posted as changes occur.

Crosby:

March 16, 2008: I live in between Crosby and Huffman, Texas, near FM 2100. I've been seeing lots of fireflies for the past week. In fact, this is the most I've seen in the 15 years I've lived here. They're most active at nightfall. What a treat to see them.
June 14, 2002: A reader notes: I live in Crosby, Texas, just northeast of Houston. My husband and I live in a neighborhood where some lots are still undeveloped, some of which are located right across the street from us and to the side of us. We also have a dark, 3-mile tree lined drive coming into our neighborhood and starting in the spring season, my husband and I were amazed to see fireflies in the woods. When we see them, it is usually after a long night so the sun is long set, but we've seen them as early as 9 p.m. It seems to me they are usually more apparent after it has rained during the day. We don't have very much light pollution in the neighborhood and I think that's why they are around so much. On nights when my husband is driving, I fixate my gaze on the woods off the road and see all kinds of green sparks in the air. Before we moved out here a year ago, I had only seen fireflies one other time in South Texas about 10 years ago. I consider us lucky to be able to see these phenomenons from our own yard.

Dallas:

May 1, 2006: A reader notes: A week ago, I saw a firefly in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas, in an apartment complex. And yesterday evening I saw two of them in a residential area of Round Rock, Texas, just north of Austin. Prior to this, the last I had seen of them was in Houston, back in the late 1970s. This is an encouraging sign for our little friends, I think.
May 23, 2005: A reader notes: Hi! I just wanted to let you know that we have abundant fireflies in our backyard here in far north Dallas, Texas. Our home is a new home and is near a creek which runs in the back, but we are also close to a very busy street in the front of the property. Many of the homes on the other side of the creek are older (60's and 70's)but we have been so pleased to be treated to their light show every evening for the last three weeks or so.
May 30, 2002 Kris Starbird writes: Donald, I'm not sure if you are still looking for this information, but we have fireflies (lightning bugs) here in Dallas, Texas. We have *bunches* around the White Rock Lake area (which is a metropolitan lake relatively close (around 4 miles from downtown) and in the Swiss Avenue/Lower Greenville areas (approximately 2 - 3 miles from downtown). I also lived in the very north side of Dallas, just south of Richardson and we had fireflys there as well. I seem to notice that where there are a lot of the bugs, there is also shrubbery/bushes and usually a ditch or some other type of water source. However, the Swiss Avenue/Lower Greenville area does not have streams or the like, so that's not a theory that is chisled in stone. We tend to have our sightings from the end of April until around July. I can't recall many of them around in the hottest part of the summer, so your heat theory may have a good bit of basis. I understand how you feel about these creatures. Watching them at night is magical. I grew up in San Antonio, and remember many summer nights playing outside surrounded by fireflys. I don't think I would want to live in an area that they don't exist. I just read that from about the middle of Kansas to the West, the blinking kind aren't found. So much for ever thinking that I'd like to move the the Pacific Northwest! Hope this helps a bit.
July 20, 2002: A reader writes: I want to thank you for starting this web site. Mike, my husband, has been asking for several years now about the firefly population. "Why have they disappeared?" "Where did they go?" "What will bring them back?" I remember about 12 years ago being at the State Park in Mineral Wells (Texas) and seeing them everywhere... literally hundreds! What a beautiful sight! it seemed as if we were in a fairy tale. Ever since we've wondered why they weren't out more in the areas that we have lived. We've moved several times in and around the Dallas, Texas, area. Every year we see a few here and there. We always point them out to the neighborhood when possible to bring up the awareness. But every year it seems that there are just a few. We want to know what it takes for them to "go forth and multiply." In the past we have had the usual track home with the small yard, but would have encouraged all around us to do whatever it took to help their survival. Recently we have purchased 5.25 acres just inside the city limits of Dallas. The area is covered in wildflowers and we've seen the usual few fireflies. But we truely wish for many more magical nights like we had in Mineral Wells. It is our desire to research these little luminus delights and do whatever we can to help their survival. Keep up the good work!
July 2, 2000: A doctor writes: I've always loved fireflies since I first remember seeing them when I was age 3, and I just decided to do a search on them for the first time. Your website came up 2nd on Google. It's nice to see an attorney who has a place in their heart for little wonders like fireflies (my last girlfriend was an attorney, and I don't think she had a place in her heart for anything or anyone, and that's why she's history). Hey, I'm not knocking attorneys. Besides being a photographer, I'm also an MD and am considering going to law school. But my real loves are photography, mushrooms (I'm an amateur mycologist), and fireflies. Anyway, I can remember seeing fireflies in New Orleans in the 50's and early 60's, but they seemed to disappear from there around 1965. I think this correlated with a lot of heavy mosquito spraying. I lived in New Orleans until 1982, when I moved to Dallas, and never saw fireflies in New Orleans between 1965 and 1982. When I was 3, I can remember capturing a jar of fireflies in May, and putting it next to my bed at night for its cheery green glow. I felt bad about "having put the fireflies in jail" later that night, and let them all go. Interestingly, they stayed outside my bedroom window for weeks to entertain me. I think there's a lesson here. When I was first studying for my medical board exams in 1994, I used to go to Turtle Creek in Highland Park in Dallas, Texas, for solitude and natural beauty. It must have worked well, because I scored over 99.5%ile on all my boards, and now teach other doctors for their boards as a sideline. To get to the point, I can remember very distinctly being in Turtle Creek the night of 6 May for the very first time, and being overwhelmed by the hundreds of fireflies over and around the creek. I felt a cosmic connection to these gentle creatures, and they brought me a lot of happiness and mental strength. I hadn't seen any in nearly 30 years. I've gone to Turtle Creek each May and June every year since then to watch the display. They are thickest from the 1st of May thru the 21st of May, when you'll see hundreds of them over and around Turtle Creek each night. Between then and mid-June, you'll still see dozens each night. I even saw 3 last night, on July 1. In May 2001, I'm going to start experimenting with open shutter technique on a tripoded camera and high speed film to see if I can capture their wonderful streaks. I wish I had thought of that before. I spoke to a friend in New Orleans and she tells me that fireflies are still rare to non-existent there now. Again, I think the mosquito spraying had a lot to do with it. And you're right--there are still plenty of mosquitos, so why bother? Thanks for taking the time and effort to become a hub of information. Don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of any help from Dallas.
September 13, 2000: A reader reports: Saw the article in the Texas Coop Magazine and was very interested. My husband and I have been very disappointed that in the 5 years we have been on our small ranch (40 miles south of Dallas, Texas) we have never seen a firefly. We are well outside of the city lights and have never used insecticide on the pasture. We do have some fire ants but not an overwhelming infestation. We have not seen fireflies anywhere in the Dallas area or we would go out and catch them and try transplanting them to the farm. My husband assures me that there were fireflies in the Dallas area through the 70's. Like you, we would be glad to turn some part of our 50 acres into firefly habitat if we knew how to do it.
May 28, 1999: A reader notes: Found your website during a search for information on hummingbird bush! Anyway - just wanted to let you know that fireflies are alive and well in Dallas, Texas.. I live in a suburb about 17 miles from downtown. It is an old neighborhood (1910's-30's) and has large lots, large trees and lots of greenery - big shrubs and bushes..Anyway - the fireflies have been out for about 2 weeks. I would say that there were moderate numbers..maybe around 20-30 flying around my backyard around dusk..Not sure what attracts them - at our old house only 2 blocks away we rarely saw any.
May 1, 1999: Mamalinda writes: Magnolia Manor, Mamalinda's repose for the past 22 years, is located in an older part of Dallas, Texas, in the eastern segment, called Buckner Terrace. Magnolia Manor always has a healthy display of fireflies, indeed, Mamalinda has spotted them on several occasions in the past week, usually within a half hour to an hour after sunset. Besides a lovely old magnolia tree, and a nice show of impatiens, there is also a deep purple butterfly bush (buddelia), lantana, crape myrtles, and something called a mexican petunia that is always encroaching upon something.
April 19, 1999: A reader notes: I live in an older section of Dallas, Texas, called the M Streets. I've seen fireflies quite frequently around my house - too many times to count. Perhaps it's because I'm a 100% organic gardener.

Dayton:

June 12, 2002: A reader reports: My 10 year old just brought in a firefly in a bottle! What memories, although, we could catch them by the bottle-fulls years ago. We have been in Dayton, Texas, for 7 months now. I guess it was spring when I noticed them. I couldn't believe it! We can still see 10-20 in one night. I have noticed more seen to be active at dusk. Although it is almost 10:00 pm, and there are still a few outside my little one didn't get! My main concern was it dying in the bottle, I think it will certainly find it's way home tonight! I am as puzzled as the rest of the people, don't know what it is that keeps these varmits alive! I had heard before (which goes back to the 'butterfly-habitat' theory) that the trees they need are vanishing. Don't know if it was a certain tree, or just 'trees' and masses of them that they need. I was watching them one night, and they kept flying right up to the house, right next to the porch light! I have only seen this once. There are lots of trees around us, and we have let the 'natural' areas continue to grow as they would in the wild. I don't know! But I do know, that I would like to help find all these things out! Please don't hesitate to email me if I can do anything to help with this mission!
July 18, 2002: A reader writes: I have read your information on fireflies and found it very interesting. My children and I often go out and watch the fireflies. We live in Dayton, Texas. I can�t remember the months, but will be watching for the times now. We usually see about a hundred fireflies, but there is one month out of the year that we see thousands. It is really quite beautiful. There is a lake about a mile back into the woods behind my house. Thanks for all the information�

Deer Park:

May 9, 2005: A reader reports: I don't even know if you are keeping track anymore but I just wanted to let you know that last night May 9, 2005 around 9:30 I saw about 10 to 15 fireflies. I live in Deer Park, Texas, really close to Highway 225. There is a empty field and a tree line between my back yard and 225 and they were flying in the tree line. I managed to catch 2 of them. They were close to an inch long and lighting up like crazy. I have lived in this house for five years and this is the first time I have ever seem them here. Last night the weather was a warm and sticky. I was every surprised to see them here since I am so close to Shell Chemical Plant. Thank you for your time.

Denton:

June 23, 2002: A reader asks: Are you still collecting info on fireflies? If so, I saw a small handful north of Denton, Texas about dusk. It has been very humid here lately. The area is rural.

Devine:

September 4, 1998: A reader writes: I saw one firefly September 4, 1998, about 8:30 pm in Devine, Texas. The temperature was about 85. Full moon also (give or take). Last time before that was about four years ago in Pasadena, Texas.

D'Hanis:

May 18, 1998: Right around dark, a reader saw a half dozen fireflies flitting around in the front yard, under a giant oak tree in D'Hanis, Texas, on Farm Road 1796.

Dickinson:

May, 1996: A reader in Dickinson, Texas, observed a few fireflies in a rural area.

Fort Worth:

May 31, 2002: A reader reports: I was thrilled to see the quick little blinks of a few fireflies as night was approaching about 30 minutes ago! I haven't seen fireflies since childhood! This will sound icky, but when I was a little girl my Dad used to squish the luminous part of the bug on my finger and pronouce it a diamond ring! (No, I don't think that's the reason for the insects' near-extinction!). My theory: they are basically ringing a dinner bell for birds, bats and such when they light up, so they are easy prey. I live high on a hill about thirty minutes outside of Fort Worth, Texas, with lots of trees and vegetation below. Eagle Mountain Lake is a couple of hundred yards away. Hope this information helps in your quest to bring back the firefly!

Dickinson:

May 14, 2000: A reader writes: This weekend I observed a significant number of fireflies in my heavily wooded yard and my neighbor's properties. Not like the old days in an Iowa summer, but probably the most I have seen in Dickinson, Texas in all the time I have lived here (19 years).

East Texas:

July 3, 1999: A reader notes: Memorial Day weekend, 1993, we had a family/friend gathering on our east Texas ranch. Around 11 pm about seven of us decided to take a walk through the pastures and around our lake. Approaching the dam, we entered the woods. As we traversed the dam we experienced a most overwhelming event. There were fireflies by the thousands, blinking above us in front of us, beside us, below us, ....we were awestruck. We could not believe what we were seeing. It was a most beautiful, mystical, magical occurrence. Every year thereafter, on Memorial Day weekend, we have made the same pilgrimage. It has never happened again. We believe that some day it will...and this has become a tradition, as we return every year from where ever we are, with great anticipation and hope.

Fort Worth:

May 19, 2012: A reader reports: Thank you for your blog. I just found you on a web search. I had been hearing that fireflies are disappearing in Fort Worth, and wanted to see what had been written, if anything. I was taking a walk with my wife on the evening of May 3, 2012, at around 9 pm, and took comfort in seeing the twinkle of fireflies throughout the wooded creek in Tanglewood Park here in Fort Worth, Texas. I cross my fingers every year and thank the Lord for this little bit of heaven. I estimate the density at one firefly per ten cubic feet.
May 15, 2005: A reader writes: I live in Fort Worth, Texas, and have the only yard in my neighborhood that has fireflies. The neighborhood kids come to my yard to try to catch the fireflies. The only thing I can attribute it to is no fertilizer or pesticide since I moved into my house in 1981. I first noticed the fireflies had arrived in about 1989-91 which is about the same time that I roto tilled the yard and planted fescue grass seed. They were not around prior to that time. I cut the grass long (4-5 inches) this time of year and resist mowing as long as possible. I think the cutting kills the fireflies by vacuming them out of the grass. Right now there are 15-20 fireflies working in both the front and back yards. The yard is well shaded by fruitless mulberry trees with, on average, 4-6 inch deep grass.
September 8, 2000: A reader notes: I spotted small numbers of fireflies in thick damp woods near a bordering pasture on my farm in Telephone, Texas.. It was exciting yet their numbers were disappointing. This isolated farm is in Fannin county, one mile from the Red River. Damp, deep woods interspersed with pasture land are abundant. This seems to be the perfect habitat yet the firefly population seems low. Do note that this land is heavily infested with fire ants(I guess I am stung 100 times per summer). Also, I do not have information on their population, in this area, from years past. I do note that in Tarrant county, Tx., populations have significantly decreased since the mid 1970's. I have a home in old urban Ft. Worth, Texas, and small numbers of fireflies persist in my neighborhood. I believe they find habitat in a woodsy bluff with the Trinity river a few hundred yards away. Also, note that in this micro, micro area of Tarrant, co., there is little to no fire ant population. God Bless the natural world
July 12, 2000: Jeff Hensley writes: Thanks for your great research and your sharing of all of it, especially the other links and the reports of fellow lovers of fireflies and their romantic bioluminescence. I have gone out looking for them in the lighted and not so lighted areas in and around Fort Worth three nights out of the last six and learned from my searching, things that are confirmed and hinted at in your reports from readers, both scientific and casual. Don't bother looking for them on the dry hills around here in North Texas. You may find a stray or two, but the damp low places near creeks are the favorites and the only places to find them in any significant numbers. They may be in an area, but in order to view them well, you need open spaces under trees to see very many at once. One swampy area appeared to have them in large quantities but four to eight-foot cat tails and other swampy growth made them nearly invisible. The best spot I found, I located last night, beyond Aledo, off of I-20 about 15 miles west of Fort Worth, Texas. There are a number of communities along this road with "Annetta" as part of their name. This great, beautiful spot with hundreds visible in an area about 150 to 200 yards long along a creek with open fields rimmed by woods was some five miles or so beyond Aledo, among the "Annetta"s. In walking along the Trinity River in Fort Worth, last Thursday, heading toward downtown Fort Worth, with the far-too-well-lit rail yards across the river, I found them to be pretty sparse. As I headed into a more wooded area below Colonial Country Club, they became more plentiful: the darker, the more fireflies. Two nights later, I walked toward Bryant-Irvin Road, along the heavily wooded side of the Trinity where there is no development and no light other than ambient light from a great distance. There were really good pockets of fireflies in this area with perhaps 15 or 20 visible at any one time. My goal, since reading about it in the American Airlines flight magazine a few years ago, is to run across one of these blankets of fireflies that some of your respondents make reference to. The writer of this article about fireflies quoted an entomologist who had found them blanketing a roadway in southeast Oklahoma. If you have any leads on an entomologist or other researcher who can guide one to such a place, or even offer suggestions about finding one, I'd be interested in joining an expedition in search of the phenomenon. Like viewing the Marfa Lights, lights of a different sort, I have added sighting one of the firefly crowds to my list of life goals. Gee, do you think this could be come an obsession?
P.S.-- Like your respondent who was in Honduras near San Pedro Sula, I found the road sides of the area near Juticalpa, in the plains dotted with round topped mountains to be as full of fireflies as I have witnessed. I was there last October and am going back the first week of August. I am just about as much looking forward to seeing the huge quantities of fireflies as I am in doing my work as a Catholic journalist of documenting our relief work and new twinning efforts with the Diocese of Juticalpa.
September 8, 2000: A reader notes: I spotted small numbers of fireflies in thick damp woods near a bordering pasture on my farm in Telephone, Texas.. It was exciting yet their numbers were disappointing. This isolated farm is in Fannin county, one mile from the Red River. Damp, deep woods interspersed with pasture land are abundant. This seems to be the perfect habitat yet the firefly population seems low. Do note that this land is heavily infested with fire ants(I guess I am stung 100 times per summer). Also, I do not have information on their population, in this area, from years past. I do note that in Tarrant county, Tx., populations have significantly decreased since the mid 1970's. I have a home in old urban Ft. Worth, Texas, and small numbers of fireflies persist in my neighborhood. I believe they find habitat in a woodsy bluff with the Trinity river a few hundred yards away. Also, note that in this micro, micro area of Tarrant, co., there is little to no fire ant population. God Bless the natural world
June 1, 1997: A reader reports two or three fireflies in his backyard on the south side of Fort Worth, Texas, in a large suburban area.

Fredericksburg:

May 28, 2002: Mary Lynn Whitehead notes: I live in Springtown, Texas, and our yard is 5 acres of grass surrounded by woods. It was early evening just about dusk, when I sat down and watched about 100 fireflies in the front yard up by the house. It sure did bring back memories of my childhood in rural Oklahoma where we as kids used to spend hours outside just watching and catching the fireflies. I was very pleased to see your website on these beautiful creatures.
May 27, 2002: A reader notes: Just wanted to tell you about the fireflies my husband and I saw in Fredericksburg, Texas, last night. We were staying at a bed and breakfast in the country off 965. We went outside as it was getting dark and I couldn't believe my eyes. In a dark area under some trees I saw a firefly glow. Then another and another. I told my husband to look and he saw them, too. There were hundreds of them. It was my husband's first experience to see fireflies, and he was very excited. As a young child, my brother and I used to see them in Brenham at my grandparent's farm in the country, so it brought back many memories. We caught some of them last night and have brought them with us. Let us know what we should do with them to save them. We really would like our 3 children to experience the fireflies, too. They are not flying or lighting up now. They just crawl around. Let us know what to do with them!
July 24, 2002: A reader notes: On about July 13, I was sitting on my front porch in Fredericksburg, Texas, and noticed a flash of light in the trees about thirty yard away. It was the familiar cool pale green light I used to see every night growing up on the High Plains. I perked up and started searching the trees. Before too long, I sighted at least three other individuals at this same time, within a twenty minute period. I have lived on this property for ten years, and only one or two years have gone by that I haven't sighted the bugs. I was thrilled to discover that they are still around I consider them an asset to the property. It was very dark on the night of the sighting, as I live in an area where there are no artificial lights at night, except a red tower light about 6 miles away. We had had a lot of rain in the weeks before this, but I don't know if the sighting and the rain are connected. The bugs were flying in an open area between my house and a stand of live oak trees. FYI, I live on thirty acres and have no crops or livestock on my property. The property surrounding mine is ranch land. I do not spray pesticides if I can help it, which I haven't had to do to any extent for several years. We have a terrible problem with fire ants in the area, which surly affects all wildlife. I have just discovered your web site as a result of an article in the San Antonio Express News, but I'll visit your site again soon to read more about our glowing friends. Thanks for taking the time.
July 23, 2002: A reader notes: Interesting article in today's Express-News. We've never spotted any fireflies in Bexar, but used to see quite a few when we were volunteering at the Texas Parks Dept's Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Site (an abandoned railroad tunnel which has become a bat habitat) on the Old Fredericksburg Road between Comfort and Fredericksburg, Texas. We haven't been up there since '00, so don't know if they're still there or not.

Freer:

Summer, 1995: Donald Burger saw a few fireflies just south of Freer, Texas, in a rural area just off Highway 59. No lights around except for cars on the highway.

Frelsburg:

July 21, 2002: A reader notes: Last night at our place in Frelsburg Texas, (near Columbus, Texas) we had 2 fireflies. It is a rural wooded area and last night we had bright moonlight. We have usually had only one. It was just after dark. We, too, would like to see more. Thanks.

Friendswood:

Frisco:

May 31, 2005: A reader writes: My family and I went on a walk this evening to our local park here in Frisco, Texas. It is May 31, 2005, the temperature was 78 with a light breeze and partly cloudy skies. To our amazement, we found hundreds of fireflies flitting about. My son found another treasure in a snake skin. 7 flies apiece for the two kids, will be released later into our yard in hopes that they may find a home. Thanks for your site, we will post next time.

Galveston:

August 2, 2000: A reader writes: Hi. Just wanted to let you know that I have seen one firefly tonight, and one last night. In fact, they are the reason that I discovered your sight. I haven't seen fireflies since the early 1970's and they bring back good memories. I live in a subdivision in Galveston, Texas. It's 9:30 PM and warm outside. I'm afraid I don't know the temperature. Good luck with your effort.
August 14, 1998: A reader reports: Saw a few fireflies out tonight here in Galveston, Texas. We walk at night for exercise and frequently see them on warm August nights when the wind is not to strong off the Gulf. Strangely, we mostly see them in one location where there is a big lawn surrounding a church. This spot is about three city blocks from Seawall Blvd and the beach.

Garland:

June 6, 2005: Terry Pettijohn reports: I grew up 35 miles N. of Lubbock and thought I had seen fireflies there in the 60's, but I have talked to my friends and they all assure me that they did not see any there. While searching to find out if their habitat extended to the area I found your site. For the last couple of weeks I have spotted 3-5 fireflies blinking in 2 areas. The 2 areas are in south Garland, Texas. Of course, it is difficult to tell if there are many fireflies since we would only see the blinking ones, but I have the sense that it is only a few. The first is in my back yard, which has many trees and has natural drainage that runs down to the lake about half a mile away. The other is in a creek bottom that is Audobon Park. I usually see them at a little past dusk. I saw them tonight (June 6,2005) around 9:30PM.

Grandview:

Gonzales:

July 22, 2002: Krinki reports: We see fireflies all of the time near Gonzales, Texas. We have a 500 acre ranch with a huge "tank" or pond with a marsh-like area that surrounds it. If you go out in the late evening, you are sure to see plenty of fireflies. Good luck.
July 10, 1997: a reader reported seeing a few fireflies on his ranch in Gonzales, Texas.

Grand Prairie:

June 26, 1999: A reader reports: I have lived in Grand Prairie, Texas, for thirty years. Grand Prairie is between Dallas and Fort Worth. I have enjoyed fireflies every year. I did notice a decrease in numbers last year during our summer drought when we were only allowed to water two days a week. Whether the lack of moisture in the ground made a difference or not I do not know, but it is very coincidental. Luckily, we have had plenty of rain this year and the numbers of fireflies have risen. On an average evening we will see approximately 20 to 30 fireflies in our back and front yards. My husband loves them so much that he will actually sit outside on hot, humid nights with the mosquitoes just to watch the fireflies. He was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, and he had never seen a firefly until moving to Texas at the age of 27. What a shame to have been without them all that time!

Gun Barrel City:

April 11, 2002: a reader notes: I hadn't seen fireflies in years atleast 6 to 8 years, but the other night I saw one. One lonely little flashing light. It kind of scared me cause I didnt even know what it was at first ( It had been so long since seeing one). I live in Gun Barrel City, Texas, in a very wooded area. It was the 9th of April 2002. The weather was very nice and I was sitting on my steps at around 10 at night. I have two little boys and hope the fireflies come back in numbers so that they will be able to enjoy them. Where have all the fireflies gone?

Hardin:

June 27, 2005: John Jackson writes: Just how far up do these fireflies fly? My husband and I saw at least 20 to 30 bright flashes of light on June 26th in Hardin, Texas. . We watched them until about 10:45 and they never stopped. These lights moved very fast and came off and on. They flew as high as the airplanes and never came close to the ground. Every minute or so we had flashes of what appeared to be distant lightning, but skies were clear and all stars visable. On any given night many planes pass over head, but not on the 26th. About 20 minutes into these sightings, a large plane(or jet) passed over using the biggest, brightest light beam we have ever seen. The aircraft was very loud and seemed to be looking for something. Then about 10 minutes later anouther large aircraft flew over using lights but not the big, bright beam. These bright lights flew very fast and so high I can't imagine a firefly being that far up and it be so bright, as well as the lack of planes that are usually in our skies. Hardin is in southeast Texas, about 50 miles east of Houston. Anyone else see these strange lights and/or large aircraft with the bright beams? Or maybe an airforce base doing something?

Hawkins:

June 4, 2002: Tonia writes: I'm pleased to report that I saw fireflies tonight (6/4/02) near Hawkins, Texas, on Highway 80. I spotted probably around 10-15 between Hawkins and Big Sandy at dusk (8:30 pm or so). There seemed to be more in areas near water (creeks). I saw only 1 between Big Sandy and Gladewater. We've been living in this area for 6 years and this is the first time I remember seeing them here!

Henderson:

May 25, 2005: A reader notes: Spotted numerous fireflies last night as we drove thru the Sabine River bottom on Hwy 43 from Marshall, Texas, to Henderson, Texas. It is wild land. Even though the river is low, the fireflies were numerous. We stopped by the side of the road and just enjoyed looking at them.

Hoovers Valley:

May 20, 2005: Judy Kitchens reports: I moved to the Hoovers Valley, Texas, area along the Colorado River between Inks Dam and the upper reaches of Lake LBJ in 2003. I saw my first firefly in the summer of 2004. I only saw one, and it was only here for a short time, late twilight to dark. I saw my first one in 2005 about May 8, and have been seeing 3-5 nearly every evening. Two of the fireflies have have been directly in front of my porch where I built a flower bed, heavily mulched, over the winter. I do not know if this area, which is moist and shaded during much of the daytime has attracted them. I do not have fire ants.,One has flown up under the eaves of my porch and rested for a period of time on several evenings. I have 1/2 acre, mostly grass. I have a huge live oak tree in my back yard, and a pond and waterfall system. I also have a garden. I am about 250 feet from the river, and about 35 feet above it.I was very interested to read the comment from one observer about the fireflies on his okra. I have not planted any before, but will do so next year.

Houston:

March 30, 2014: Hi. I'm from Houston, Texas. We were coming back home from Lake Houston on March 29, 2014, and it was about 9:00 pm. We saw a bunch of fireflies. It was about 65 degrees and we had just had a rain storm the night before. It has been more than 20 years since I seen these beautiful fireflies.

June 27, 2011: Tina Williams notes: I live in Lakes on Eldridge North in Houston, Texas, in the Eldridge and West Little York area. I have seen fireflies in my back yard in the spring of this year and last year. There are only a couple � but so exciting to see. By the way: I do have a mosquito misting system (using pyrethrium). I have no mosquitoes in my yard, but do have a few fireflies now. So nice to see your web site. I have all different sort of plants in my yard. I also have butterfly bush and butterfly weed,although prior to reading your article I was trying to get rid of both. Thanks.
June 26, 2011: A reader writes: I just saw the news story about your tracking sightings. I live in Houston, Texas, near West Sam Houston and Terry Hershey Trail. I noted �lightning bugs� on my calendar March 12 this year. I believe they were hanging around the old holly bushes in front of my plate glass windows; it was about dusk or a little bit later. I remember being delighted at an early sign that we�d have a glorious spring.
June 26, 2011: A reader notes: I walk my dog almost every evening in Houston, Texas, in Terry Hershey Park in West Houston between Dairy Ashford and Eldridge. Around dusk almost every summer evening I see fireflys along the trail in the bushes that border the Buffalo Bayou. This year the numbers seem lower which I attribute to the dryer conditions but who knows. I have fond childhood memories of fireflys during the summers in Wisconsin. I appreciate your site.
March 23, 2011: A reader writes: I always check your website for hummingbird sightings. I also noticed your Cherokee links and tonight your firefly information. For the first time since I moved to Houston in 1990, my husband and I saw several fireflies in my neighbor's yard - in one area near some plants - last night. I always wondered why there weren't any here. I just read your note about fireflies and thought I'd write to let you know we saw some right in Houston, Texas! We were walking our dogs and passing our neighbor's house, we saw about 5 fireflies on March 22, 2011, around some bushes in West University Place around 7:30 p.m. and again around 8:15 p.m. in the same place. I'm going to go back and take a closer look at the bushes and flowers and see what ones they were. We did not see any other fireflies on our walk of about 12 blocks that night and have never seen any in our neighborhood before.
July 8, 2010: A reader reports: My husband and son have seen lots of fireflies along the Terry Hershey trail/Buffalo Bayou between Dairy Ashford and Kirkwood in June and July in Houston, Texas. And I have seen them in my front yard.
June 4, 2010: Nancy Greig reports: I was walking the dogs around my neighborhood in Houston, Texas, just now (9 p.m., June 4), and to my delight saw about a half dozen fireflies in the bushes at the back of an abandoned lot on the south side of Queenswood Drive. There is a little tributary of White Oak Bayou that runs back there. I have seen fireflies in the same vicinity in past years - didn't notice any last year, perhaps because it was so dry. Anyway, there they were. It gave me a little frisson of pleasure to see them again.
May 31, 2010: a reader reports: We live in near Terry Hershey Park in Houston, Texas. We started taking the children on "Firefly Walks" at dusk (+/- 8:30). This evening it was partly cloudy, warm and humid. We saw quite a few in the bushes and flying low to the ground. We were on the trail between Highway 6 and Memorial Drive, right along Buffalo Bayou. I believe the first day I started seeing them was Friday, May 28.
May 3, 2006: A reader writes: My wife and I saw a firefly flying above the wall in the backyard of our house in the Lakeside Forest subdivision in west Houston, Texas. It was just after dark @ 8:30 pm on 5/02/06. We saw several fireflies while camping in Bastrop State Park during the MS150 weekend. I have seen several fireflies after dark in along the bayou in Hershey Park during the spring and summer months.
June 21, 2005: Nancy Greig reports: The fireflies are back in my neighborhood! I saw at least a dozen of them the other evening. They hang out in a "wild" area (grasses and trees) around a little ditch/arm of White Oak Bayou that runs behind Queenswood Street in section 5 of Timbergrove Manor in Houston, Texas.. It is always quite thrilling to see them!
May 18, 2005: A reader writes: A reader reports: Houston, Texas: Just saw a fair scattering of lightening bugs at Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens where I work, this evening around 8 pm, back by the lily pond, in the woods.
May 12, 2005: A reader writes: Along the greenbelt at Wilcrest off Memorial drive in west Houston, Texas, there are several fireflies each evening (I see around 10-12 per night). Great Site.
May 9, 2005: Dave and Janet Griffiths write: We have just come back from a stroll along Buffalo Bayou in Houston, Texas, between West Belt and Wilcrest. We were walking at about 8-8:45 pm and saw literally thousands of fireflies in the vegetation close to the bayou. Most were up to about six feet above the ground, but quite a few up to 20-25 feet. We've been making this walk for the past 25 years, and I believe these are the highest concentrations we've seen.
July 20, 2002: A reader notes: There are fireflies in Houston, Texas! I moved here many years ago from Iowa, where they have lots of fireflies. I never saw one here until I moved to a very wooded lot off West Beltway 8 two years ago. Now I see them in my back yard (a few) in the summer, esp. in June and early July. I hope the mosquito spraying didn't kill them.
July 19, 2002: Greg Sergesketter writes: I would like to confirm lighting bug sightings in west Houston, Texas. As at least two others have noted, in Terry Hershey Park I have seen fireflies when I have been running there. Generally I have noted them when I am crossing the Buffalo Bayou pedestrian bridge near Eldridge. In addition, we have seen fireflys behind our house. We back up to the north side of Buffalo Bayou between Eldridge and Highway 6. I've noticed that most of the activity is always in the transition area between a forested area and a large meadow.
July 19, 2002: A reader writes: I hope this campaign of yours works. I saw some lightning bugs in April, 2000, in the woods behind the Willowbrook-Willowbend subdivision, Houston, Texas. Since that time much of the vegetation was cleared out and a school built. I have not been over that way at that time of year since, but when I was there I did not see little flashes of light again.
July 9, 2002: Bruce Franklin writes: I found your link in a news story about fireflies. I was very surprised to discover you were here in Houston! It's funny how things happen. Just after dusk, one evening back in May, my wife and I were on our patio in the back yard and saw a lone firefly on the side of the garage! We live in west Houston, Texas, by the Belt and I-10. We live pretty close to Buffalo Bayou, (3 blocks or so), and we don't have a lot of flowering plants. Most of the usual stuff, azaleas, ligustrums, oleanders, some ivy, monkey grass, etc. We also have a large (28 foot+/-) oak tree in the back. We were both excited, I did the usual thing: grabbed a jar and caught the rascal! We both remarked how unusual it was to even see a firefly these days. It was a rather large one, I'd say about � inch long. We watched him (her?) for a while and then let it go. I recall seeing these when I was younger (in the 60's) and have often wondered why we don't see them anymore. I remember when I was a kid, catching huge lizards "lizards" (anole ?), horned toad lizards (horny toads) and even large grasshoppers. Nowadays, if you see a lizard more than about 3" long it's unusual. Since I've read that fire ants may have had an impact on the horned toad lizards, I can't help but think that they could easily affect the populations of other species as well. Sorry to get off track, it was just great seeing a firefly again (but sad, too - where were the others? How come it was only one firefly on one night?) Good luck, and I for one hope you are successful in getting them (fireflies) back here.
June 26, 2002: I have found a firefly in the Heights, in Houston, Texas. I has rained all week. Temperature in the 80's. My backyard is mostly native plants. The firefly was near a porch light. I do not use insecticides in the yard. To read the full story, click here
May 12, 2002: A reader notes: My wife and I live in the Garden Villas sub-division which is near Airport and Telephone Rd in Houston,Texas. This year starting in early May we have noticed a number of fire flies every night. Some nights there are just two or three and others nights we have seen up to a dozen. They may have been there every year but were not actively looking for them. To add information for your theories: We do not use pesticides with the exception of slug bait and fire ant killer on specific sites. Also, my wife is seriously into plants and has added butterfly bushes and other plants that attract butterflies. I would love to see the population of fire flies increase. One of my favorite memories growing up on an Iowa farm was watching millions of "lightning bugs" over the corn fields at night. Love what you are doing. If you have any definite information on how to increase their population I would like to know about it.
May 10, 2002: Jay Alford confirms: Yes, I would like to confirm lighting bug sightings that someone else has already mentioned on your web site. I regularly run on the jogging trails at Terry Hershey park in west Houston, Texas, near Memorial Drive in between Elderidge and Highway 6. I always jog in the evening between 8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. I've noticed over the years that in between the months of April through about October that there is a lot of lighting bug activity once the sun goes down along the bayou. I've also noticed that most of the activity is always very near a forested area "near" an open area. I not sure if this by chance or maybe it's easier for them to communicate or whatever. But to me there seems to be a pattern. I've rarely seen activity in the deeper parts of the woods. But I totally agree with you about habitat and the decline of the lighting bugs. Thanks for putting the web site together. Really cool information on a rarely mentioned topic. Thanks.
May 24, 2001: A reader reports: I ran across your site recently and noted your interest in fireflies in the Houston area. Last month, I went for a night run in Terry Hershey Park in Houston, Texas near Eldridge and Briar Forest. Fortunately, I keep a running log so I can give you specifics about when and where I was. Starting at Wilcrest and following the bayou west to Eldridge at 8:30 p.m. on 5/24, I saw several dozen fireflies. I didn't see as many on the way back; they were most active until about 9:00 a.m. I've been living in Houston about 8 years. This was easily the most fireflies I've seen in the area. In fact, I don't recall seeing so many since I was a kid growing up in Kansas City.
May 7, 2000: A reader reports: Saw a few fireflies Sunday night at around 8:30 p.m. off Telge Road and Jarvis near Enchanted Valley Subdivision, in Houston, Texas. There may have been more but we were driving and couldn't stop.
June 8, 2000: A reader writes: My wife and I live just outside of Houston, Texas, and, to our delight, made a sighting recently. I first saw the fireflies after dusk, and thought it was my imagination, but we saw them together, and stopped for a closer look Sunday, June 4th, 2000. The time was approximately 9:00 p.m., within 30 minutes of sundown. Humidity was 65% (low for Houston) and temperature was 85 F. We were on Saums Road, passing Cullen Park (an open field) 1.5 miles east of Fry Road and saw approximately 200 fireflies doing their thing along the brushy side of the road, along a stretch 75 yards long, at a height of 1 to 3 feet off the ground.
June 13, 2000: Patrick Hill (aka Toomey) writes: Just read your article on fireflies and I thought you'd want to know that I saw a bunch of 'em the other day at Memorial Park in Houston, Texas. I live very close to the park and walk the jogging trail about five times a week. I was astonished to see hundreds of the critters flitting through the trees in the evening (about eight o'clock) on the southern part of the east leg (just north of Memorial). In fact, a fair number of people stopped to admire the sight, pointing and oohing.
September l, 1997: Amy Tritico reported seeing a couple of fireflies in Spring Branch, Houston, Texas.

Hufman:

May 6, 2002: A reader writes: Hi. I had a firefly in my bedroom last night on May 5, 2002. I saw a little green light flashing in my window. It was about 9:56pm. I live in Huffman, Texas, on four acres. I haven't seen fireflies for years and have talked about them to the people I work with. He was set free outside to make more fireflies. Now I will look for them every night, as I did years ago with my dad, and that was about fifty years ago.

Hunt:

June 4, 2000: A reader reports: We own a cabin at Casa Bonita Lodges on the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, which is west of Kerrville in the Hill Country. We have many fireflies. We always have. I live in Tyler, and we have no fireflies here. I want to cultivate them on our farm outside of town. Have you located a source which sells the insects?
Late May, 1998: A reader writes: When in Hunt, Texas, I saw quite a few fireflies on a grassy area by the river. It was just after dark. Light coming from the inn lit the knoll, but it was dark down by the river. Every night during the last week of May and the first week of June there were lots and lots of fireflies. There had been some rain on Memorial Day. It was very hot during the day, but pleasant at night.

Huntsville:

July 6, 2002: Elizabeth Mensing writes: We have seen fireflies off and all all summer here in Huntsville, Texas. Maybe we just didn't catch a glimpse of them in previous years. It appears they are more prevalent right before and right after rain or showers. We've seen many of them every night for the past week.
March 18, 2002: Elizabeth Mensing reports: I have responded to you the past two years on fireflies sightings here at our home in Huntsville, Texas. Last night we saw the first fireflies. It was about 7:15 PM, temp 68 and it was overcast and was raining off and on. We saw four fireflies for about one minute. We sat on the front porch for another hour and did not have another sighting.
July 29, 2001: A reader reports: I wrote you on Sept 20, 2000 from Huntsville, Texas. This year our 'firefly season' was longer, but I don't believe we saw as many at one time. The first we noted were the first week of April and we saw one last week, the third week in July. As I noted previously, we do spot treat for fire ants, but do not use widespread insecticides. We've also seen the rapid decline of the 'walking stick'. When we first moved here nearly three years ago, they were all over. Even climbing on the car at times if it was in a shady area. Last year we had some but not as many as the year before and this year I've not seen one. Also we had an abundance of toads. In fact they'd come onto the front porch and stay in my flower pots for the day! We'd get up in the morning and dirt would be scattered all around the terra cotta pots. I eventually made 'toad houses' by cutting a notch into the top of a terra cotta pot, putting it upside down in a terra cotta saucer and putting damp mulch and bark into it. We could sit in the evening and watch as many as a dozen toads come hopping out for their nightly hunt. This year we've not seen any of those old large toads, though we occasionally see small, nickel size ones in the gardens. Our bird and butterfly population is continually escalating and we have an abundance of them. We've had ONE hummer spend the summer with us, this is the second in a row! We feed him faithfully hoping he'll find a mate to settled down and fight with! In a few more weeks we'll have another 50 or more hummers here for a few weeks and he'll leave and possibly return with them again in the spring.
September 24, 2000: A reader writes: I came upon your site as I was browsing for hummingbird info. We live about three miles west of Huntsville, Texas, on a 1+ acre in a small unincorporated subdivision. We moved here from Houston, Texas about two years ago where I'd never seen a firefly. We see them here in Huntsville for about 6 weeks during May and June. We have many during that period but I've never noted temps or other conditions. We do have many trees on the property, post oak, hickory, mulberry, pine, sweet gum, and a variety of fruit trees which we planted since we've been here so they wouldn't affect the existence of the firefly. We do have fireants which my husband attempts to contain. We have planted butterfly gardens but I haven't noticed the fireflies near the gardens, they are in the yard and trees. We had no grass when we moved here as the previous owners had it fenced and let horses graze at will. I don't know which,or if any of these situations would contribute to the existence of the fireflies. As a child in east/central Minnesota, I remember catching them in mason jars and smearing them on our foreheads, running and playing 'monster' as they glowed on our face!

Irving:

June 26, 2005: A reader notes: Thought I saw one out of the corner of my eye but not sure. Here in Irving, Texas, I rarely see any fireflies, maybe one a year, if I'm lucky. I have lots of flowers and tropicals and woodland shrubs. Lots of shade in the neigborhood, but no creeks nearby.

Itasca:

August 6, 2000:Peg Looney notes: My husband and I have a ranch in Itasca, Texas, (just 9 miles south of Hillsboro, Texas). We recently built a home on the ranch and moved from the city of Fort Worth. We were sitting on our porch in early April and suddenly realized we saw a few fireflys. We had not seen any since we were kids. The weather was still cool, about 60 in the evenings and 80 during the day. We only saw them one or two evenings and have not seen any since it has become so hot in Texas. Don't have any theories just wanted to let you know we saw them in our area and were very excited about seeing them. Wish you luck on your endeavor.

Jacksboro:

July 4, 2002: Shirley writes: My two daughters and I were biking in Fort Ridchardson State park in Jacksboro, Texas, and spotted a sparse gathering of firefire flies along the Lost Creek banks near the picnic grounds. It was twilight and the day had been warm and humid. My daughters are grown and could remember playing amongst "clouds" of fireflies in their childhood (green lit fireflies in Del Rio, Texas and yellow lit fireflies in Denison, Texas). In my childhood in Texas we caught the yellow lit ones in fruit jars, kept them until bedtime then released them, unharmed. Usually they were in captivity less than an hour. It was easy to collect enough for a "firefly lantern" in the forties.

Katy:

May 12, 2005: Cyndi A. Franz writes: In our wonderful Fawnlake Subdivision in , Texas, Katy (77493) we have several fireflies. My children and I set in the backyard and watch them quite a bit. I was worried that the mosquito spray that the city of Katy does may be the reason why we do not see as many of them as I would like to. Is there something I can do to increase the population?
June 5, 2000: A reader notes: I saw more lightning bugs on June 3. This time I was about a mile from the new Katy Mills mall in Katy, Texas, , off a country road. I only saw a few though. I have a feeling they won't last long with the new development around there, where I'm sure they will start a spray program for the mosquitoes and with the lights from that mall.
April 28, 1999: A reader reports: I live outside Katy, Texas, and saw for the first time in many years two fireflies on our property two weeks ago. We were so excited! We are very much interested in having a "comeback" made by the fireflies.

Kerrville:

July 23, 2002: A reader notes: Growing up in Beeville, Texas, I remember tons of fireflies every night all summer. As a 30-something adult living in Kerrville, Texas, the firefly population in my backyard hasn't been so great. Until the last couple of years, that is. It seems their numbers have been increasing in my backyard. I think it has to do with the fact that my yard has recovered from having large dogs on it. Also, I let the yard 'rest' for a couple of years (okay, so I neglected it) so I had overgrowth of all kinds of grasses and weeds. I've also had lots and lots of snails/slugs back there the last few years. I probably use fewer chemicals on my lawn and plants than most people. These sightings have occured at dusk the last few summers. It doesn't always happen every night but I haven't really tried to assign a pattern to it. The weather has been exceptionally dry in this area every summer (until earlier this month) so I was amazed that they have been out. Flash rate seems to be about every 10-15 seconds, with periods of activity and inactivity over 15-20 minutes. As for an estimate of their numbers, it's certainly not like my childhood but at least it's something. I know it's a little late in the season to spot them, but I'll be on the lookout due to our recent rains. Thanks for your site!

Kingwood:

My husband saw a firefly on Sept 11 and Sept 12, 2010 in our backyard. It was just 1 single little guy, but was very exciting. We woke our 3 small children to come have a look. April 6, 2002: A reader notes: FYI, my two sons and I were out walking on the evening of March 27th in the Bear Branch subdivision of Kingwood, Texas. To our surprise, we spotted a small swarm of fireflies not far from our house. There were probably 6-8 fireflies in total. I've never seen fireflies in this area, and I have been living here for ~20 years. If the weather holds up this evening, we may go out for a walk to see if we can spot them again.
July 14, 2001: A reader notes: I moved to Kingwood, Texas, in 1994 and the summer of 1995 I noticed fireflies on the greenbelt behind my house. I called the kids out and told them about fireflies and how they were so numerous where I grew up in Orange, Texas. I explained that in the "old days" people used to think they were fairies. I have looked for them every summer and this past spring, I believe it was April or May, I saw a few around the 9th Grade Campus in Kingwood back by the outdoor track. It was after midnight. There were many and they stopped flashing after a few minutes. It was an odd sighting because I can't say for sure they were there at all. I don't know if the mosquito spraying kills them or not but it seems that would be easily tested. If it isn't the insecticide I believe it is the city lights. I have heard that theory before and it makes sense. More and more lighting goes up every year. When I moved out to Kingwood in '94 the stars were plainly visible but because of more and more lights it is harder to find a place where you can get a good look at the night sky. Hope you can help being back the magic.
June 19, 2000: Robert E. Bleier notes: I've lived out in Kingwood, Texas, since I was a kid in 1978. When I first moved out here I remember seeing fireflies but they have disappeared over the years. Last moth I took my 18 month old son up to our relatives in Arkansas. He had a great time chasing fireflies in my Uncles yard. When we got back I was hoping I could find a way to bring them back to Kingwood. Do you know what plants they like? Also, have you seen any place I can purchase them. I know you can purchase butterflies and ladybugs, so why not fireflies?

LaGrange:

May 22, 2005: A reader writes: Being a Houston native, I had not seen a firefly in years; we are talking a lot of years. Our home was in Houston's east end in the early nineteen fifties, fireflies were a fairly common occurrence, and we often had firefly lanterns. They lent much magic to our childhood. Our home was approximately four blocks from the Buffalo Bayou. I had assumed that these lighters of the night had become extinct; that is, until we moved to our new home. I currently maintain an office in Houston, but I now reside in LaGrange, Texas. Wonder of wonders the fireflies are alive and well. Last night we had the privilege of introducing our grandsons and son to The thrill of the fireflies. Last year, and this year as well, we have been well entertained by these little beacons of brightness. We live approximately five hundred yards from the Colorado River. Looking down from our bluff towards the river there is a light show, that is unequaled by man. Thousands of these tiny insects virtually light the river banks and surrounding areas. Have faith. They have Houston surrounded.

Lakehills:

April 30, 1999: A long time reader reports: We are an "old sight", since we have reported before but my granddaughter is here tonight so she wants to report our sighting tonight. We live in Lakehills, Texas (nine miles from Pipe Creek and twenty two miles to Bandera). We live on property fronting on Medina Lake. At about 8:45 my granddaughter had the first sighting of fireflies. She said there were a lot and it was still not completely dark. Once the darkness fell, a blanket of fireflies seemed to cover the backyard. They stayed around for about an hour. The temperature was about 80 degrees. The climate has been very humid for the last several days and we expect rain over the next three days. My granddaughter lives in San Antonio where they never see fireflies, so this is an exiting occurrence for her. Wish we could transport a few to Houston, so you could enjoy the show!
April 26, 1999: A reader writes: We live in Lakehills, Texas. Tonight we saw the most fireflies we've seen since last year! They started about 8:30 and lasted until around 9:30p.m. We had about an inch and a half of rain this morning and the temperature when we saw the fireflies was 70 degrees. Their range was from about 100 feet from the house to about 20 feet from the house. At their most active, which is usually when we first notice them, they absolutely light up our 50 by l00 feet back yard and extend into the area right outside the back fence (by the lake). It was a good night for the fireflies!

Lake of the Ozarks:

July 23, 2002: A reader writes: Just finished reading an article in the San Antonio Express-News. My husband & i live in Spring Branch, Texas, just north of San Antoino. I originally moved out there 4 years ago & have seen one lonely firefly. During the 4th of July week while it was flooding in San Antonio, we were at a family reunion at The Lake of The Ozarks. We stayed at a nice little resort called Lone Oak Point. The first night we were there, WOW, it was totally amazing! Lots & lots of fireflies. Anyway, it was like being a kid again. It is really sad that we don't get to enjoy them here at home. Sure would welcome back "the old days" Just wanted to share my sighting with you. Thanks for what you are doing.

Lakeside:

June 26, 2005: Nikki King notes: We live in Lakeside, Texas, west of Fort Worth. The fireflies come out by scores every night. It is like a mass meeting of little fairies. Beautiful. The cicadas also live here, as well as the wasps that hunt and kill them.
August 6, 2000: A reader notes: Bought a house last September in the Town of Lakeside, Texas, which is far west Fort Worth zip code 76108. This spring we started seeing hundreds of fireflies. I haven't seen one since we moved from Florida in 1985. We have a couple of acres which are heavily wooded and are three blocks from Lake Worth.We bought two firefly lanterns from Coleman and the grand kids come over all the time to catch and then release the fireflies. I am totally organic and use no pesticides. Use beneficial nematodes etc. to control insects and feed the birds heavily to control the grasshoppers.

Lakewood Estates:

June 22, 2005: Joe Salas writes: Hi. I live in a subdivision called Lakewood Estates, Texas, which is between Lakehills and Pipe Creek, Texas, at an altitude of around 1300 feet. I have been seeing fireflies for the past month on my property. I am about a mile from Medina Lake as well. Sometimes there are two or three fireflies and at other times there could be a dozen or so. I have not seen masses of them yet like I used to see in San Antonio where I grew up in the 1950s and 60s. There are no more fireflies in the city but out here in the country they are making a comeback. The area is not isolated because there are quite a number of homes but lots of woods as well. There is an increasing amount of hummingbirds as well. There have been reports of badgers as well, but I have not seen them. I don't even know what they look like. It is such a pleasure to see the fireflies return. It is even more exciting to see them blink in synchrony even though they are all apart by some distance. How do they do that?

Lampasas:

June 12, 1999: A reader reports: For the past few nights my husband and I have noticed fireflies for the first time in the five years that we have lived here in Lampasas, Texas . I am originally from West Virginia and as a child used to catch them in a mayonnaise jar. We are in the same situation as you and would like to populate our property with them as we have with ladybugs and praying mantis. We have had a lot of rain so far this year with hot/humid days(90 degrees, 80% humidity) and cool evenings(70's). We have also in the last few years completed many improvements here; removing cedar, planting roses and different types of lilies. We are installing a pond. Because I developed an allergy to pesticides we haven't been able to spray or treat our property this year. We love sitting outside watching the fireflies fly about and I wish that they were as abundant as I remember from my childhood. I see fire ants eating grubs and other soil born insects. Could they also be eating the firefly larvae? Since Texas is infested with fire ants it could be the reason for the drop in numbers. If you treat the ants are you inadvertently killing the firefly larvae? If you hear anything please contact us. We'll keep you posted on our newest insect additions.

Leaky:

September 17, 2000: A reader reports: We have a ranch with a live creek running through it in Dickens Co., Texas, near Spur, Texas. We have the ability to extinguish all lights - normally for star-gazing. One of the great joys we have is watching fireflies - of which there are a vast multitude. Our house is high in a bank overlooking the creek. From the upstairs window, we can look for a long ways down the creek. The view rivals any show of Christmas lights. It is an unbelievable sight. They rarely come up to where the house is, which clearly indicates a preference for water and/or damp. Vegetation is primarily bermuda grass, cattails, and a reedy marsh grass. Trees are cottonwood, willow, hackberry, tamarisk, and mesquite. One of the above plants must be important to food or habitat. Extremely hot, droughty, conditions, such as the summer we are just completing, do diminish their numbers. We also regularly visit the Frio river near Leaky, Texas each July 4th weekend. There are multitudes of fireflies there. Vegetation is about the same as here with the addition of St. Augustine grass, in which I frequently observe fireflies lighting. It would occur to me that the Houston area has all the requirements for fireflies. When I last visited my daughter in Sugarland, I observed that the mosquito problem was not what it used to be when I was younger. She observed that people fight them vigorously with insecticides. My personal guess would have to do with insecticides. Unknown: What about predators. You did not mention that on your web site. A definite possibility. Good luck. I will follow progress with interest.

Leander:

September 25, 2000: Reece Grinnell notes: I live about 5 miles in the country outside of Leander, Texas, north of Austin. I get lots of fireflies. I have lived on this 11 acres for over 10 years and have had continuous fireflies.

La Porte:

July 17, 2000: Meredith Spears writes: I found your web site about fireflies in Houston. I don't know much about them either, but I have seen them in my backyard. Last July and August we saw them several times and, as a matter of fact, we rescued several out of our swimming pool. We live in La Porte, Texas, (just outside of Houston) so I know they are in the area. Unfortunately, this year we have not seen any yet. I certainly hope that we do see them again, as they are really fun to watch. The only other places I have ever seem them is in Galveston on the beach at night and we saw quite of few of them there. They seem to like the brush that is in the sand right before you get on the beaches and I also saw them in Port Aransas when we were in the pool of the condo we were staying in. Maybe they just like the water, I'm not sure. As far as plants are concerned, interestingly enough, other than grass in our backyard, we have no trees or anything that would likely attract them. The only other plants we had in the backyard last year was some Mexican heather and except for one small bush of it, we have gotten rid of the rest of it. Since we haven't seen any this year, maybe there is some connection, but I'm not sure.

LaVernia:

July 23, 2002: A reader writes: I read the article in today's San Antonio Express News and went to your website, I had to write. We live in LaVernia, Texas, a small rural community 30 miles east of San Antonio, and we have an abundance of fireflies! Ours have a golden yellow glow. They seem more abundant in the spring time. After all of the recent rains, they are sparce, but still around. The Cibolo Creek runs through LaVernia at the end of our street and there is alot of vegetation around for them. I grew up in San Antonio and I remember catching the bugs in my hands, but I had not seen them until we moved to La Vernia. I let my son catch them, but I am afraid of their extinction, so I always make him let them go before they die. Take Care!

Leakey:

July 23, 2002: A reader reports: Sighted a number of fireflies at H.E.B Foundation Camp near Leakey, Texas, on June 15th and 16th 2002. I am a San Antonio native, and have not seen them for years. It was my first sighting in such a long time I had to just sit and watch them.

Live Oak:

July 24, 2002: A reader reports: The article in the San Antonio-Express News was my first knowledge of your efforts to "save the fireflies." I enjoyed reading the article and learning a bit more about my "fairy bugs," as I once called them. Like you and many others, I had noted the decline of fireflies over the years. My first thought, of course, was pesticides, etc. Much of my childhood was in Memphis, Tennessee, and in Little Rock, Arkansas, and there were always, as we children said, jillions of lightning bugs to catch and watch glow. We always let ours free at the end of playtime. The past two evenings, the 23rd and 24th, I have noted a respectable number of fireflies in my own back yard. It is always magical to watch. Our home is in Live Oak, Texas, which I refer to as a suburb of San Antonio. For the most part, the terrain is suburban, but in particular our lot is adjacent to the city's little league ball park and pool area. Beyond that is more green belt area where we do have a population of deer and other wildlife. Part of the appeal of San Antonio is its supply of "green belts" among the big city supply of buildings. Live Oak also has a "farmer's pond" nearby. We are usually described as a "bedroom community." It was developed in the 1970s and has an established tree canopy and the resulting squirrel population. I do recall how humid Memphis and Little Rock were, so humidity must be a requirement for lightning bug success! After our recent flooding in the area, we certainly meet that requirement. When I noted the fireflies, it was when there was very little light left in the sky. The only ingredient missing were children with Mason jars.

Lockhart:

May 28, 2002: Marsha Guys writes: My husband and I moved to Lockhart, Texas, (30 miles south of Austin) a little over a year ago. I have never seen so many fireflies as I saw beginning this April. It was like a hugh light show! They are now almost gone (end of May). They would start coming out of the ground it seemed around dusk. But the minute it was pitch dark they would lessen considerably. We live on an acre on the outskirts of Lockhart and have lots of old oak trees. We also back up to a wet weather creek (which means it has been dry most of the time this year!) and a farmer's field. They do seem to like the humidity. Since I read that the female lays it eggs in the ground, I am wondering of mowing the lawn kills the eggs? When I first saw them, I hadn't started mowing yet. I noticed as mowed more and more (with a riding mower), that I saw them less and less. Am I running over them? I do not use insecticides; however, I sometimes spot treat for fireants. I wish I knew how to keep them around all summer! Good luck on getting the fireflies back in Houston.

Lufkin:

May 24, 2000: A reader notes: I've noticed for the past week all the lighting bugs making their presence known again. I've been expecting it for a while now for them to show up, here in Lufkin, Texas. I can always count on seeing them along the edge of the forest, as if they come out of the woods and then move out into the open field. My Son and I caught 15 lighting bugs in just 10 minutes and there were plenty more flying about. They always start about dusk and will continue till shortly after nightfall, then they stop. It's around 80 degress outside and humid (as usual for this part of the state), with a light breeze blowing.

Madisonville:

August 8, 1999: Penny Sablatura reports: We were sitting on our back porch in Madisonville, Texas, last night. It was just after dark. We saw four to six fireflies against the trees in grass that was around ten inches tall. One firefly was at least fifteen feet in the air.
July 23, 1999: Bob Sablatura writes: At about 8:55 this evening, I spotted a single firefly drifting across our back pasture in about six to eight feet off the ground. About 45 minutes later, I was sitting on our new porch enjoying the cool night air when I spotted another single firefly at an altitude of about 20 feet (based on the height of the tree it was near) Both fireflies were especially bright.
Summer, 1995: a reader saw a few fireflies in a rural area near Madisonville, Texas.

Magnolia:

October 4, 2010: Linda reports: We have noticed fireflies on our property near Magnolia, Texas, in Montgomery County North-West of the Woodlands and Houston. We have 12 + acres that backs up to a large wilderness area with ponds and creeks. We have replanted natives plants and trees and most of our neighbors are mow-a-holics with only wasteful lawns. In an acerage estate neighborhood We have the only yard with fireflies since 1998. We also have frogs, foxes and other wildlife absent from the other yards. I have seen the fireflies rise from the ground in the floodplain in a slow spiral to the sky as the darkness decended. We use no pesticides or herbicides or other toxins in the yard. So, God rewards us with fireflies sometimes starting as early in the year as February, flashing along with the spring peepers, the frogs of winter here. Thank you for caring about these delightful lights of our lives.
April 20, 2006: Carl Freeman notes: I live in Magnolia, Texas, which is about forty miles northwest of Houston. One of the things we heard when we moved here from California was that there were not any fireflies. However, since moving into our home, we have had sightings every night. Now, I don't know how rare it is, or how to support their growth, but I am really happy they are here. It makes sitting on my back porch even better!
June 9, 2005: Mary reports: We moved to Magnolia, Texas, a year ago around the middle of May. We have 3 wooded acres and the house sits right in the middle. The woods completely surround the house and are about 20 feet from our back porch. That September, we were delighted when we discovered that we have fireflies! We first started seeing one here and there, and then masses of them each evening. They would start around dusk and the darker it got the more there were. It looked like a magical fairyland. We thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the back porch and watching them every evening. They start out low to the ground back in the woods. Then they start getting closer and sometimes even come all the way up on the porch. Eventually, they start rising higher and higher in the trees until they look like the trees are strung with hundreds of Christmas lights! It is so awesome. Our friends and neighbors would all come and bring their children to witness this "wonderland". This spring they came back around April but there didn't seem to be as many and they weren't around for long. I'm hoping to see an abundance of them again at summer's end.
April 12, 2004: A reader reports: On March 27, 2004, about 1930 hours 3 miles south of Magnolia, Texas, we saw about ten fireflies at an elevation of about 20 feet. Conditions: Wonderful evening with a slight breeze, just tested all sprinklers and yard was moist, good stand of rye remaining so grass is rather high, heavily treed yard. I was remarking to my wife about having seen the small group and recall how thick they were 35 or 40 years ago when we were children in eastern Oklahoma. They have even disappeared there, as have the horned toads. I've often wondered where they all went and attribute the loss to insecticides/pollution etc. Light pollution is acute about these parts. I see no burning need to light the night like the day nor to light the sky when a hood on fixtures could focus the light downward where it is desired by some instead of lighting the heavens like a searchlight. Thanks, and when you find a source for repopulation let us know.

Manvel:

June 6, 2005: Michael W. Blaise writes: During May and June, in Manvel, Texas, along Chocolate Bayou (about 25 miles south of Houston), I have seen fireflies for the past 5-6 years. Fortunately, they are increasing in number every year. To encourage them, I have placed sources of rotting wood along my properly line with the bayou.

Marshall:

Medina Lake:

May 21, 2005: Chris Peyton writes: I was doing a search for Fireflies on the Web and found your site. I am happy to report that for the first time since I was a kid (I'm 44 yrs old now), I'm seeing Fireflies all over my neighborhood. I live in a little community close to Medina Lake, Texas, here in Lakehills. There are not as many as I saw when I was young, but just seeing them again has given me hope that they are coming back again. I think a big part of this is that there is not as much chemical use in lawns. I know that I stopped using any chemical sprays or spreads about 5 or 6 years ago for this very reason. Insecticides kill not only unwanted bugs, but all the bugs. And for that matter all little creatures like lizards and such. So anyway, I just wanted to send you this happy e-mail about the Fireflies. Or as I've always called them . . . Lightning Bugs.
April 22, 1999: A reader writes: We saw our first sighting of the year last Thursday night - April 22nd. Only saw one firefly and he was flying around our back porch. He even alighted on the patio window while flashing intermittently. We live on Medina Lake in Haby's Cove (which is northwest of San Antonio, Texas) and our property is waterfront. We do not use pesticides of any kind in our garden or landscape. It's planted with vegetables and native Texas plants. We feed the birds, attract the butterflies and hummingbirds and do see a lot of fireflies, usually from mid to late April through June or July. We do not see them in the hottest months of the year. They usually appear as soon as full darkness has set and put on a wonderful show for 30 mins to one hour.

Midlothian:

July 19, 2001: A reader reports: Hi, I saw your information about fireflies. I live in Belton, Bell Co., about 50 miles north of Austin and see no fireflies here. I have a weekend house in Midlothian, Ellis Coounty, Texas, 30 miles south of Dallas and have a few fireflies come out in the early evenings there (never more than three or four). My house there is next to a small creek bed with lots of large trees and I'm assuming they're coming from the large trees. I have not used any insecticides around the house, but I live in a housing addition and can't speak for the rest.

Missouri City:

June 26, 2005: Paul K Smith writes: Last weekend I was visiting my parents in Missouri City, Texas, near Houston (the Quail Valley Neighborhood), and I saw one or two fireflies along one of the golf courses there.

Montgomery:

July 21, 20021: Barbara T writes: We live in Montgomery Texas, on Lake Conroe, and we have seen a few fireflies but only in the month of June. Once summer hits we see no more of them. I came from the Northeast where fireflies were abundant. My husband visited Wisconsin a couple of years ago and said at night the cornfields were filled with a "million" fireflies. I too miss seeing them and wish we could "cultivate" more all summer. Fireflies are such a wonderful childhood memory! I vote pesticides have eradicated them.

Nacogdoches:

September 18, 1997: A reader noticed about a dozen fireflies at dusk about two miles outside of Nacogdoches, Texas, in a developing subdivision.

Nacona Hills:

September 9, 2000: Al Leschnitzer writes: I live in Nocona Hills, Texas. Nocona is about 8-9 miles from the Red River as the Firefly flys. I also noticed the decline of Fireflies here in the past 5 years or so. It is very,very dark at night here. We have Lake Nocona and a smaller lake . Well, still very few Glowworms. However on Long Island, N.Y. with all the Lights, all the spreying,etc.etc. there are millions of Fireflies. I hope this EMail will help you some.

Navasota:

July 21, 2011: Michelle Abney reports: I read about your firefly tracking website in The Eagle this morning. I live in College Station, TX and have never seen fireflies in town. However, my kids had quite a treat in Navasota, Texas, this spring. There were several, I'd say about 15 fireflies, at the Bovay Scout Ranch off Hwy 6 during our Cub Scout family camp out May 7, 2011.

New Braunfels:

July 23, 2002: Ron Dobbs reports: I read the article in the San Antonio paper about your interest in fireflies. I remember collecting the bugs in a jar in Minco, Oklahoma, at my Grandmother's when I was young, as you recalled. In the Spring of 2001 I noticed a few here in New Braunfels, Texas. This spring I noticed a few more. Not many, maybe 5 to 10. I have, as you, felt the demise is due to chemicals. I do not use any chemicals in my yard, but the neighbors do.
May 9, 2002: Ryla notes: My name is Ryla and I live in New Braunfels, Texas, on Lake Dunlap (off I-35 before you reach Lake McQueeney) and there are hundreds of fireflies that show themselves at dusk to early morning hours here. It's magical! On our 1/2 acre there is a grotto-type area (it was a natural draw before we built our house higher up on the property), and there are a couple of springs in the lower grounds toward the lake so that helps keep things moist. Moist enough for indigenous maidenhair and river ferns to flourish as well. I completely understand why you want them back in Houston. I was born and grew up in Houston and remember them in the Heights area as a little girl. I just thought I'd drop a line and let you know I enjoyed your description and information on the marvelous little firefly beetle. Our magical creatures seem to have lights ranging in color from bright yellow to orange. I'll never use sprays or fertilizers around here. It has to be protected and it's perfect in its own natural way. Take care and thanks again!

April 12, 2001: A reader writes: On April 12,2001 we were camping at Onion Creek, just west of Austin, Texas. As night fell, we saw small swarms of fireflies as well as scatterings of fireflies throughout the area. It was wonderful! It was Spring, so the temperature was moderate. The landscape there includes a large creek lined on both sides with large Cypress trees and lots of other vegetation. It reminded me of my childhood, where I saw LOTS of fireflies regularly - in Houston! We lived on the Buffalo Bayou in the area between Westheimer & Memorial Drive. But, that was more than 20 years ago - the late 1970's. I left Houston when I graduated high school in 1983. When I was in graduate school in Nacogdoches, Texas, (Pine country) in the late 80's and early 90's, we saw tons of fireflies regularly. Now we live in Fort Worth in an older neighborhood with lots of large trees and a nearby creek; we just see the occasional firefly in our backyard. In fact we saw one (yes, only one!) two nights ago - June 18th, 2001. We do not use pesticides of any sort and neither does most of our immediate neighbors - I can't help but feel that the use of lawn pesticides by homeowners is a major culprit for the disappearance of fireflies (at least in suburban areas) as well as the diminishment of a host of other insects, frogs, toads, lizards, & such. What we are seriously wondering is how we can perhaps "import" or "transplant" fireflies back to our area. We don't know how or if this is even possible; I am "researching" it now! Meanwhile, best of luck getting the fireflies back to Houston!!
June 16, 1999: A reader notes: I am originally from Texas and we use to catch fireflies in the country but never in the lighted cities. They seem to like being near water so you find them at the river's edge, especially where there are groves of trees. I remember catching them when we were staying at a cabin at the river in New Braunsfels, Texas, in late July. We just went to view hundreds of fireflies near Kamakura, Japan. There is a park on top of a mountain with paved walkways and people all walk through it in the dark and stop to admire the fireflies flashing among the pines against the mountain. It is really something to see. They are like little fairies some moving slowly and some zooming across but very much like living moving Christmas lights. We seem to have a larger variety over here too. Another thing I notice is that the Japanese do not catch the fireflies and put them in jars. They tend to leave them to fly around and don't chase them. Their children are encouraged to catch one and everyone watches it flash as it crawls around and then they let it go. I have never walked around in the dark with a bunch of strangers before and that in itself was an experience but then Japan is one of the safest countries in the world.

New Hope:

September 7, 2000: A reader notes: We live just outside New Hope, Texas, about 5 miles NE of McKinney, which is some 30 miles north of Dallas. Our mostly grassy property has a creek on two sides of it, which is bordered by lots of trees with tall grass and bushes. Until our neighbor two houses down put up a huge mercury-vapor streetlight (the kind used to illuminate roads), we used to have breathtaking displays on humid, moonless nights. I'd say there were at least a million bugs. Now, about 2 years later, there might be about a thousand. I cried and cried when the streetlight went up, because my daughter was then too young to remember the spectacular displays. We still have fun with the bugs, but it's not the same.

New Waverly:

May 26, 2002: A reader writes: I have waited on my back porch this evening and finally saw 3 fireflies. About 5 weeks ago I saw a lot more. At least 10 at close to the same time/lighting. I check the time this evening... between 8:30 and 9 pm is when I saw them. There are dark woods behind my house so I had a good backdrop to see them. They are very bright. But the display doesn't last long. I live about 5 miles from New Waverly, Texas off I45. I enjoyed your site.... Thanks

North Dallas:

April 24, 2000: A reader notes: Tonight, Easter Sunday, 23 April, in North Dallas, Texas, we noticed one (apparently) lone firefly, offering us just 3 flashes. My friend remarked that this was his first experience in years of having seen a firefly in this location. I would judge the light polution to be moderate, temperature mild, humidity low. I am delighted to find your site with so little effort. Hope to have frequent future sightings to report. Several (maybe 10) years ago I recall having read a Wallstreet Journal article about a Japanese effort to create a firefly sanctuary. Any update? Thanks for your contributions.

North Fort Worth:

June 15, 2002: A reader reports: I live in old North Fort Worth, Texas, in the same house for 24 years and last week I saw a Fire Fly in my backyard. Prior to that I have seen them in the Botanical Gardens in July while atttending Symphony in the Park in July for the past three years.

North Richland Hills:

July 11, 2002: A reader writes: I want to raise and release fireflies. Do you have any information about them or how I can do this? I am in North Richland Hills, Texas, and actual saw three fireflys in my backyard. I want them back!

North Texas:

April 10, 2002: A reader notes: We saw our first firefly the evening of the 10th in our rosemary bed. Since then we have seen only 3 or 4. It appears that every year there are less of them. We live on a farm in North Texas. We actually were a state certified organic farm so of course we use no harmful pesticides or herbicides. I am thinking perhaps it is the aerial spraying that goes on around here?

Orange:

July 14, 2001: A reader notes: I moved to Kingwood, Texas, in 1994 and the summer of 1995 I noticed fireflies on the greenbelt behind my house. I called the kids out and told them about fireflies and how they were so numerous where I grew up in Orange, Texas. I explained that in the "old days" people used to think they were fairies. I have looked for them every summer and this past spring, I believe it was April or May, I saw a few around the 9th Grade Campus in Kingwood back by the outdoor track. It was after midnight. There were many and they stopped flashing after a few minutes. It was an odd sighting because I can't say for sure they were there at all. I don't know if the mosquito spraying kills them or not but it seems that would be easily tested. If it isn't the insecticide I believe it is the city lights. I have heard that theory before and it makes sense. More and more lighting goes up every year. When I moved out to Kingwood in '94 the stars were plainly visible but because of more and more lights it is harder to find a place where you can get a good look at the night sky. Hope you can help being back the magic.

Pasadena:

July 4, 2002: A reader writes: I too, have often wonder what happen to all the fireflies I saw as a kid growing up in Houston. I live in Pasadena, Texas, now. For the last two years I have seen a few fireflies in my backyard. In fact I have seen them over the last month. My backyard is about 150' wide and about 300' deep. I have large fields on two sides of my property. My yard is planted with many flowers, vegetable garden, friut and citrus trees.

Pearland:

June 4, 2005: Peggy Borrer writes: I live along Clear Creek in Pearland, Texas, (near Galveston County and across the creek from Harris County). We have been having a truly magical lightning bug show in the late evening along the bank of the creek. The area is scheduled to be cleared for flood control, but so far, Mr. Yost has been very co-operative about leaving my yard alone. I grew up in Memphis, TN, and was used to having lightning bugs every summer, so I'm thrilled to see these. I wonder if we have so many this year because of destruction of habitat up-stream. I have enjoyed looking at your information on hummingbirds, too. Thanks!

Pflugerville:

May 17, 2013: A reader reports: I just saw fireflies tonight in my small backyard. It seems there are about ten of them roaming about at 8:30 pm when it was getting dark and the temperature is 71. I live in Pflugerville, Texas. Pflugerville is located between Austin and Round Rock. I think there were a lot less last year when we started developing our garden so I was pleasantly surprised to see more this year. We have a beautiful flower garden in our backyard that has been visited by several honey bees, butterflies, and a hummingbird moth (first sight this year) and now, the fireflies! There is a lot of wooded areas with a nice small creek and lake a little bit farther from our backyard. I hope this small piece of information helps with your fireflies project.

Ranchland:

September 7, 2000: Ginger Wood reports: In answer to your request for firefly sightings, I had to put my two cents in. We just recently bought 4 acres of land in a rural community called Ranchland, Texas located between Lumberton and Kountze, Texas. Having arrived there recently to speculate on the location for our new home, we were, not surprisingly, there until nightfall. Imagine our delight when the night fell and the woods began to ignite with the miniature torches offered by the"fireflies," as we grew up calling them. Spellbound, having all but wiped them from our memory, we dallied, recalling past memories and anticipating introducing our grandchildren to this rare find. It was July 2000, toward the end of an unusually hot day and dry, as there had been no rain for weeks. There was lots of underbrush because the acreage had been only half cleared. We intend to designate certain areas to, hopefully, accommodate their taste and will keep you posted. Good luck with you mission to insure their protection from extinction.

Richardson:

July 19, 2002: Vickie notes: I live in Richardson, Texas. We have a wild front yard, which my two daughters have taken great pride in keeping that way. We have ivy growing up two trees, a huge bush that is home to a rabbit family, and undergrowth that houses turtledoves, a red-headed woodpecker, squirrels, and TONS of fireflies. We have them most nights spring through summer. It makes me sad to hear they are so rare in other places.

Richmond:

April 16, 2002: Lauren L. Martin notes: Last summer in our subdivision we saw many fireflies in and amongst the trees. We live in Texana Plantation near Richmond Texas, , a suburb of Houston, Texas, past Sugarland. I remember them from my youth in our front yard in River Oaks of Houston. I just saw my first lightening bug sighting last night and wanted to find out what they eat. Not much info out there, as you have stated. However, I have planted a butterfly garden with butterfly bushes, 2 different types (will let you know the real names), many herbs and flowers. Let me know if you want me to keep you updated on sightings in our area as the spring and summer progresses.

Round Rock:

San Antonio:

May 25, 2005: Eric Livingston notes: I live in (and grew up in) San Antonio, Texas, and although I remember seeing fireflies when I was a kid in open fields, I can't recall seeing fireflies until tonight. We just recently bought a house that backs up to McAlister Park, which is a very large city park just north of the airport. I'm sure that without the nearby park, we wouldn't see them; however, since most of the park is dense woods, it is like we are close to nature, yet still in the city. I was over there this evening after we closed on the house and was pleasantly surprised with more than a few of the little lightning bugs flying around the yard. To provide you with some unscientific data, today was May 25, and was an exceedingly warm day (about up to 95 F). Humidity was probably around 50%. The fireflies were seen around and just after dusk. I can't wait to get settled in the house so I can teach my 4 year old how to chase and catch the neat little bugs. Thanks for your site.
July 24, 2002: A reader notes: I live in San Antonio, Texas, and have fireflies in my garden. Never in the great numbers I remember seeing as a child growing up on the East Coast but more that I see in other places around town. I practice integrated pest management (IPM) without using insecticides, fungicides or relying on heavy fertilization and my garden is a healthy and happy one. Lately, since our flooding, the number of fireflies has been down but I expect it to rise. Last year I was amazed that I was still seeing fireflies after Thanksgiving! Just a few, mind you, but it gave me cause to fantasize that perhaps I had fairies not fireflies at that late date. I suppose I should give you more information about my garden as there might be an inkling here for you to consider. I would describe it as "English" in style, not formal or excessively weeded or regimented. There are many varieties of plants at many different heights and more than a sprinkling of old fashioned flowers. I used to grow modern roses but stopped when I realized that the spray programs required for good modern roses was making a total mess of my garden. Rosarians advocate monoculture for fear of other plants harboring rose pests. Monoculture is always a bad idea even in agribusiness. Rosarians advocate light soil, heavy fertilizer use and religious spray programs. I fertilize lightly if at all and abjure the use of light soils. Spraying is just not considered. I now grow antique roses and if a bug nibbles or "black spot" breaks out, it doesn't matter as the bushes are so lush. I also grow my roses as I would shrubbery without much fussing. I think that if you look overall at home and commercial foundation plantings you will find a very small number of varieties in widespread use. Crape myrtles, pittosporums, nandinas and hollies seem to dominate here in San Antonio. Perhaps this lack of variety of plant habitat contributes to the firefly's scarcity. Add to that the widespread clearing of brush and trees when homes are built. There was a lot more wooded land when I was young. Also, something as simple as the type of lawn grass may play a role. Again, monoculture comes into play. Obsessive removal of all plant life other than grass from a lawn has got to have a negative affect on insect populations. Keep up the good work; I enjoyed reading about your efforts in the San Antonio Express-News.
July 6, 1999: A reader reports: I live in San Antonio, Texas, and have wondered for years why I haven't seen a firefly since I was a kid. (I saw hundred a night back then in the late 1960's!) Last night for the first time I had a lone firefly in my backyard! I chased him around the yard until I lost him. Now I want to know what to do to get more in my yard! Any help will be appreciated!
July 23, 2002: A reader writes: I read the story today in the paper and was amazed that you were correct that I haven't seen them in quite some time in San Antonio, Texas ... until tonight. The timing was ironic. I am responding to your request so that you know.
May 13, 2002: A reader opines: I too, enjoy the magic of fireflies. Another theory, the yard and lawn maintenance affects them. After purchasing my house in the country, in the San Antonio, Texas, area, I noticed thousands of fireflies in the uncut grasses around the house and surrounding acreage. At my wife's insistence, I shreadded the lots and manicured the front and back yards. No fireflies returned until this year when I refused to shread the back and side lots as an experiment. I have my fireflies back and will not manicure the back until they leave and will not cut a month prior to their arrival in April/May. I ask you sir, are the Houstonians, with their beautiful sculpted lawns and gardens, depriving themselves a more beautiful evening? I have a slightly unruly backyard but I have fireflies.
July 4, 1999 A reader reports: We recently bought a house in one of the suburbs surrounding San Antonio, Texas, and I came back to your page to re-read the great info about fireflies. I was particularly interested in the "too much city light" theory. Several years ago, my husband and I were at some friends' house and that night we saw more fireflies than we'd seen in many years! These folks lived in an area immediately South of downtown San Antonio, right off an interstate, so the city light theory is a little hard to swallow. When I was a child I grew up in a suburb of San Antonio in two different houses, and we had loads of fireflies! The only common denominator between these houses that we lived in in the 60's and the one which belonged to our friends in the 90's was a backyard pond. Could this be significant? Just thought I'd run that by you. Thanks a bunch for all the fascinating information on fireflies on your website; I check it periodically. Wish me luck in attracting and/or seeing some of these wonderful little bugs. Now to bring back horned toads.... :-)
May 6, 1998: A reader saw "quite a few" fireflies around 8 pm in her backyard in Austin. The day had been 102 degrees F. and the area is one of the older ones in the city, with lots of trees and bushes.
May 10, 1998: A reader spotted one firefly in Encino Park, San Antonio, Texas around 8:00 pm. Temp 70 to 75. Full moon!
May 5, 1997: A reader spotted twenty or so fireflies in her backyard in San Antonio, Texas.

Schulenburg:

October 2, 2000: Diane Lee recalls: I saw your article in the TX. Co-op magazine, and was hoping that after I read it that it would help my husband and myself find a way to bring back the fireflies, but after reading it, it seem that you and a lot of other folks are in the same boat. WHERE HAVE THEY GONE?? My husband and I now live in Schulenburg, Texas, on a ranch that has been in the family for over 25 years. I can remember seeing thousands of these fascinating little critters, and now in the last 5 years they are all most gone. This year I'm sad to report that we have seen only 1 or 2. We don't spray for mosquito, and neither do any of our neighbors, but we do have a lot of fire ants, and if wishes were to come true I would wish for it to be the other way around.(NO FIRE ANTS, AND MILLIONS OF FIREFLIES!!) It is a really sad thought that the next generation may miss out of these lovely critters.
Sealy:

April 24, 2008: Hello. I was looking for information on fireflies and found your website. My husband and I live in Sealy, Texas, � about 50 miles west of Houston. Our a ranch is about 6 miles south of Sealy. In the past 7 years since we moved out here, we occasionally see a few fireflies. It is always such a delight to see them � reminds me of when I was a child in East Texas and they were plentiful. One night about two weeks ago, I went out to the barn after dark and got a wonderful surprise. There were dozens of them in our pastures! Since that night I go out after dark for a few minutes each night and usually see a few. The experience made me wonder if they migrate and we just happened to be in their migration path that night. I, too, would love to see lots of fireflies. Tomorrow, my grandson is coming for a visit. He is 12 years old. I don�t think he has ever seen one and I�m so looking forward to sharing that experience with him.

Shelby County:

May 19, 2005: A reader reports: Saw lots of lightening bugs at my farm in Shelby County, Texas, (between Center and Garrison) last weekend. They were in my pines and also my hardwood forest. Saturday, May 14 around 7:00 pm.

Sheppard:

June 11, 2000: Susan Lester reports: While driving south on Highway 59 from Livingston to Houston, Texas my husband and I saw a multitude of fireflies in the trees (both sides of the road) and down around the ditches for about a 7 or 8 mile stretch. We were about just south of Sheppard, Texas, on Highway 75 South. It was about 8:45 p.m., the temperature was between 76 and 78 degrees, extremely humid (we had had torrential rains the night before), and the area was completely dark, except for car lights. It would be so nice if we could keep fireflies from becoming extinct. They are such a joy to watch and such a thrill for kids (of all ages).

Spring:

June 2, 2005: A reader notes: Although I too was under the impression that Houston was influenced by some condition which inhibited fireflies, my wife and I have nightly seen fireflies for the past month in our back yard and the woodlot, behind the rear of our home. We live in Spring, Texas, in a new subdivision off Cypresswood, about two miles east of the Hardy Toll Road. Despite the presence of street lights and a mosquito spraying program we have seen dozens of insects about two hours after dusk. The neighborhood is densely populated south of Cypresswood; however, the woods to the north of us are undeveloped. We are also very close to a bayou which drains into a water treatement facility, which may be a contributing factor.
August 12, 1999: Lee McKeel writes: I think your cause is great and am impressed that someone would take the time to set up a web site for fireflies. Anyway, I thought fireflies were extinct, until last night. I get off of work at 10:30 pm and some nights go for a run. On August 11, around 11 pm, I was running through my neighborhood of Greengate in Spring, Texas, and, to my amazement, saw a firefly. I stopped and watched it for about 5 minutes until it flew into a backyard. It appeared to be all alone. I was in awe of the little bug flying around. I have not seen a firefly in a long time. We do need more, they are a magical part of our world and need our help. I support your cause.

Spring Branch:

Sstephen F. Austin State Park:

June 28, 2001:A reader notes: I am responding to your website regarding fireflies in Houston. I too have wondered what happened to them. I used to see them all of the time in Houston when I was younger. Just in case you are still seeking input on firefly "spotting", my place in Austin, Texas, is positively teaming with the critters! I live in an urban area around the vicinity of Zilker Park. It is pretty bright in my neighborhood (a lot of street lights, etc.) so I don't really know if urban lighting conditions has anything to do with it? I haven't really seen them recently, but they were out in full force about 1 month ago (end of May 2001). It was great. There were tons! They arrived around 8.30pm and stayed for about an hour. Also, two years ago while camping in Stephen F. Austin State Park (near Houston), I remember encountering tons of fireflies there. This was in mid-summer. It was also pretty dark out there.

Spur:

Sugar Land:

May 10, 2012: A reader notes: I just wanted you to know that here in Sugar Land, Texas, I have seen one or two lightning bugs in my back yard over the last week. I keep a lookout nightly, but usually miss them if there are any around. I am trying to introduce my two year old son to the magic of fireflies. My wife has yet to see one and we joke that I am either having a stroke or that I also see unicorns and Bigfoot in our yard. I have such fond memories of lightning bugs while growing up in Arkansas. It's such a reminder of the innocence and simple pleasures of youth. I sure would love to see the firefly population make a big comeback soon! Thanks and keep up the good work. Sent from my Ipad.
April 27, 1999: A reader reports: We saw a lone firefly flying slowly around our patio this evening; we wondered where the rest of the fireflies were. This is the first time we've seen one in Sugar Land, Texas (we've been here 10 years). The one firefly spent a good bit of time flying around the patio and then on out to the rose garden. We wondered if the many flowers had attracted him (gardenias, roses, impatiens, marigolds, verbena, hibiscus, kalanchoe, alyssum, petunias, snapdragons). We have more butterflies this year, but were so pleased to see the elusive firefly (lightning bug to those of us raised in the Southeast).
August 25, 1998: A reader writes: I have seen many fireflies along sections of Oyster Creek in the First Colony area of Sugar Land, Texas. Last year, I only saw them in large numbers during May and June. This year I saw them again in May and June, but not as many. However, for the past two nights I have seen quite a few.

Telephone:

September 8, 2000: A reader notes: I spotted small numbers of fireflies in thick damp woods near a bordering pasture on my farm in Telephone, Texas.. It was exciting yet their numbers were disappointing. This isolated farm is in Fannin county, one mile from the Red River. Damp, deep woods interspersed with pasture land are abundant. This seems to be the perfect habitat yet the firefly population seems low. Do note that this land is heavily infested with fire ants(I guess I am stung 100 times per summer). Also, I do not have information on their population, in this area, from years past. I do note that in Tarrant county, Tx., populations have significantly decreased since the mid 1970's. I have a home in old urban Ft. Worth, Texas, and small numbers of fireflies persist in my neighborhood. I believe they find habitat in a woodsy bluff with the Trinity river a few hundred yards away. Also, note that in this micro, micro area of Tarrant, co., there is little to no fire ant population. God Bless the natural world

Temple:

May 12, 2005: A reader notes: We just moved to Temple, Texas (north of Austin, south of Waco). We built a house in a golf course community - we back up to a dry creek and a thin strip of woods. Beyond that is an open meadow. Last night I saw a flash in the woods and thought someone was there. Then, another flash. . . again. . . more! I sat down and watched for about 10 minutes. In that time I saw over 100 flashes - the area the flashes covered was about 30 yards wide. Incredible! I'm from California and had never seen a firefly. Can't wait for it to get dark so I can watch again!

Tomball:

June 1, 2002: A reader reports: Hi. I read your article and thought I would email you. We just moved to Tomball, Texas, and I have seen a few scattered fireflies here and there. I have a friend in Hockley, Texas, and he says that he has seen hundreds in his woods. I know you can purchase ladybugs and release them for your garden, but do you know of a place where one could buy our friendly firefly? If you can think of a place, please let me know.
June 18, 2002: A reader reports: I too am an attorney in Houston, practicing gift and estate tax law. My family shares something else with you, the love of fireflies. We live in Northampton, a neighborhood just south of the Woodlands. On our way through Tomball, Texas, one evening about three weeks ago we saw a bunch of fireflies on the side of the road. We (my husband, three kids and I) stopped the car and spent half an hour marveling at them. We decided to check into how to bring the fireflies back. I was happy and excited to see your site. If you have more information, perhaps where we can order larve, please let me know. Thanks.
July 11, 2002: A reader writes: I live in Tomball, Texas, and have started sighting fireflies for about a month now. Not large swarms like I remember as a child, but at least my 9 yr. old child got to see one. It's pretty sad; she didn't know what they were. Also, on July 4, while sitting with my Mom on her porch a hummingbird was behind her and she didn't even know it. These little creatures are a lot fewer in numbers than they used to be. I also have wondered over the years what happened to all the fireflies. Lets hope there is going to be a re emergence of them.
March 15, 2002: A reader notes: About two months ago I moved to Tomball, Texas. Tonight I saw about six fireflies on my 1/2 acre lot.
August 11, 1999: A reader notes: Tonight at dusk I saw more fireflies than I have ever seen at one time. I live in the Tomball, Texas, area. After it became dark no activity. Seeing this firefly activity tonight got me looking into the firefly on the net.That is how I came across your site. I live in a wooded area and have been watering my property daily. It has been dry lately and the fireflies were probably drawn here by the moisture. This is the first time I have taken an interest in the firefly since I was a kid in Indiana. They are very interesting.

Waco:

July 19, 2002: Linda K. Turner notes: I too have noticed that I no longer see fireflies like I did as a child. Then this spring I noticed half a dozen fireflies in my back yard several times. I have lived in this house in Waco, Texas, for three years, and this is the first time I have seen them. I have noticed them at my parents' home in Woodway, a suburb of Waco, Texas for the first time in years also.

Weatherford:

June 7, 2002: A reader writes: I live in Weatherford, Texas. My neighborhood is heavily wooded and my yard in particular is full of trees and heavy brush. I have a creek bed but it doesn't run unless I have a heavy rain. For the past couple of weeks there has been abundant firefly activity in my yard and probably throughout the neighborhood. It's first noticable about dusk. Not quite dark but the sun is going down so the little blinking lights are visible. They're everywhere. Hundreds. Flourescent, yellow/green lights. Having just moved here from suburban Southern California I had never seen them before. I was delighted at my first sighting. Now I look forward to seeing them everynight and am disappointed if some nights the numbers seem decreased. How long will this last?
June 9, 1999: A teacher writes: I am a public school teacher in Weatherford, Texas, just west of Fort Worth. I live 18 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Texas.. Having grown up with fireflies in the Valley, I had decided they were indeed permanently gone after living in the city and suburban areas for years--yet after I moved to rural parts of Parker County, I have begun to see butterflies and fireflies again! I have left my two acres wild so that all sorts of cratures can have a habitat, however small. I have rabbits that feed a few feet from my door--even with my dogs and cats around--there are wild turkey not far away--I saw 3 last year and 1 in the same area yesterday; I have roadrunners and, although only a few, fireflies. I did not put up a security light because I wanted to be able to see the stars--and I have had a great time with comets, meteors, and other phenomenon while just standing outside. While watching TV with the door open, I saw flashes that looked liked fireflies--lo and behold--it was a group of 3-4. This was after week-old heavy rains, and with 90 plus heat and high humidity. The area is extremely wooded, but most of the 2-5 acre lots are mowed and have the large security lights that make some areas as bright as the city. In the area where I have seen then fireflies it is naturally dark, wooded, and likely has standing rain water in places. I have only seen them this year in the last week or two.

Waxachachie:

May 30, 2011: A reader reports: Sighting was at 3:00 am in Waxahachie, Texas (30 miles South of Dallas). It's about 75 degrees outside, humid, and a bit cloudy. I went outside my front door to let my cat inside when I noticed a bright, firefly-like, light flashing. The unusual thing, besides that it was just one, is that it moved faster and it's light flashed brighter and faster than I'd ever seen before. Almost like an LED strobe light. It was at the end of my sidewalk and moved towards me then up and over my house. Anyone else seen this type of firefly?

Webster:

Wharton:

April 20, 2000: A reader reports: We saw several Fireflies in Wharton, Texas on April 19th, 2000. We were traveling to Edna, Tx. to meet my wive's mother to drop off one of our children for the Easter weekend. We stopped at the Whataburger on Highway 59. I noticed a field right next door full of Lightning Bugs. This was witnessed by myself, my wife, and my two boys ages 14 and 12. They even saw one caught in a spiders web, so they could view them closely. I grew up in the Lamarque, Texas area and remember seeing them regularly, but this was ther first experience with them. I instantly thought of your site. I hope this helps.

Wichita Falls:

September 14, 2000: A reader notes: Just this week learned of your firefly search through an article in the Wichita Falls newspaper --Times Record News. A few weeks ago I saw a few fireflies in our back yard in Wichita Falls, Texas, for the first time since we moved here a year ago. It was a thrill to see them and brought back memories of catching them as a child in Michigan. Our yard is parched grass due to the drought and water rationing. Temperature was about 100. We moved to W.F. from near Fairbanks, Alaska last May(99) and I never saw any fireflies while living up there. When we lived in Rantoul, Illinois, and our children were very young our then 3 year old son called fireflies "blinkin ' bees" The name has stuck and we all still use his term.

Woodlands:

August 13, 2012: A reader reports: Hi. I now live in The Woodlands, Texas, (north of Houston). I was out tonight around 8:15 PM and noticed a little blink/flash. Have lived in my home here for 10 years and only seen the firefly/lightning bug a handful of times. Had been doing a bit of quick yard work and had put my tools away. Went and checked the mail and when I returned to my driveway I noticed the flash. It was past dusk, starting to get pretty dark out. Think there were at least 3 or they were busy moving. I have a few large pine trees in my front yard and a huge oak tree. I would say they were at 5 feet high or less in this area. You just have to smile when you see them. Lived for 30+ years in southern California and never able to see one till we traveled cross country for a trip. Had to peek on the web to see what type of bug they are so I might be more welcoming of them during the daylight hours.
March 1, 1998: Fred Simmank reports: The first sighting in the Woodlands, Texas area took place Friday, February 27 at approximately 7:30 pm. It is not unusual to see the first fireflies on this date, but normally ones sighted this early maintain stationary positions in the trees. It is usually the second week in March before I see any fireflies that fly. However, I saw quite a lot of "flight" activity on Friday, which was quite exciting! I'm hoping for an extended season this year. Let's keep our fingers crossed. I also saw Fireflies on March 1st. I find that amazing because the temperature was already down to approximately 53 degrees at the time of the sightings! It appears to me that this particular species of firefly has evolved to spend the adult portion of its life cycle in cooler weather. Interestingly enough, all sightings were stationary (flight activity does not appear to take place unless the temperature reaches the lower to mid 60's). I expect both the stationary and flight activity to increase each evening this coming week as the temperature and humidity increases. There seems to be a strong correlation between firefly activity and temperature/humidity.
March, 1997: A population of fireflies north of Houston in the Woodlands, Texas, is reported by a reader, who notes that they appear each Spring, and are gone by mid-April.
Summer, 1996: A reader reports few fireflies in the Woodlands, Texas, north of Houston.

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