[NatureNS] Fireflies

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:38:08 -0300
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Hi John,

On 13-Jul-08, at 1:46 PM, John Sollows wrote:
>
> When I was but a youngster (let's say, up till about 1970) fireflies  
> in the summer were commonplace, here in the Yarmouth area.  It has  
> been years since I have seen one.
>
> Well, one was flashing in the grass about ten days ago here on the  
> Wyman Road, and I have heard another report from a youngster who was  
> wondering what he had seen.
>
> This summer is foggier than many in recent years; I am calling it a  
> "'60's summer."
>
> Hmm ... I wonder if our fireflies like high humidity.

In my experience fireflies do like humid conditions. Many species live  
near cattail marshes or in low wet pastures. In Nova Scotia we have  
three species in the genus Pyractomena that specialize in feeding on  
snails, and three species in the genus Photinus, that specialize in  
feeding on earthworms. I would suppose that moist conditions favour  
both snails and earthworms, and hence of these firefly larvae that  
feed on them.

Cheers!

Chris

Christopher Majka
Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H  
3A6
c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca




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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi John,<div><br><div><div>On =
13-Jul-08, at 1:46 PM, John Sollows wrote:</div><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: =
separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: =
normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; =
text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div =
bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"><div>&nbsp;</div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"2">When I was but a youngster (let's say, up till about 1970) =
fireflies in the summer were commonplace, here in the Yarmouth =
area.&nbsp; It has been years since I have seen =
one.</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"2"></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">Well, =
one was flashing in the grass about ten days ago here on the Wyman Road, =
and I have heard another report&nbsp;from a youngster who was wondering =
what he had seen.</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"2"></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">This =
summer is foggier than many in recent years; I am calling it a "'60's =
summer."&nbsp;</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"2"></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">Hmm =
... I wonder if our fireflies like high =
humidity.</font>&nbsp;</div></div></span></blockquote><br></div><div>In =
my experience fireflies do like humid conditions. Many species live near =
cattail marshes or in low wet pastures. In Nova Scotia we have three =
species in the genus <i>Pyractomena</i> that specialize in feeding on =
snails, and three species in the genus <i>Photinus</i>, that specialize =
in feeding on earthworms. I would suppose that moist conditions favour =
both snails and earthworms, and hence of these firefly larvae that feed =
on =
them.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers!</div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div=
><br><div apple-content-edited=3D"true"> <span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: =
normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: =
normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; =
-apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div =
style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Christopher =
Majka</div><div>Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova =
Scotia, Canada&nbsp; B3H 3A6</div><div><a =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</a></div><=
div><br class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></div></div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"></span> =
</div><br></div></body></html>=

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