When I was a kid, I remember seeing clouds of them in the school field when we went out to play. There used to be so many that they would cover your windshield. For the last few years I have hardly seen any around. Today, I only saw a single solitary bug lazily flying through the air.

I suspect the rapidly changing climate is the cause but, I guess I feel a bit of shock at realizing and reflecting on the fact that this is happening right at home.

  • Red_Sunshine_Over_Florida [he/him]@hexbear.netOP
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    7 months ago

    I wish I could have seen fireflies, that and snowfall. I guess the closest I got to the idealized image of a field full of fireflies at night was going through a field full of Lovebugs. These things will just become stories to tell future generations because they will never get to see it for themselves.

    • TechnoUnionTypeBeat [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.net
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      7 months ago

      One of the grimmest comments I’ve ever read, I’m sorry comrade

      I have vivid memories of seeing fireflies off the back deck floating over wheat fields all summer long. It was magical, and the fact it’s been stolen from younger generations is inexcusable

      • Red_Sunshine_Over_Florida [he/him]@hexbear.netOP
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        7 months ago

        Thank you. I appreciate your sympathy.

        Honestly, seeing that solitary Lovebug today made me immediately think of that popular animated video on the last Kauai O’o calling out in vain. I was wondering if we have reached that moment yet but, with a species of insect in this case.

    • JoeByeThen [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.net
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      7 months ago

      If you’re near there, I was in Kissimmee Prairie Preserve over by Lake Okeechobee a couple summers back and saw fireflies in Florida for like the first time in 20 something years.🤞

        • JoeByeThen [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.net
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          7 months ago

          Tbh, the preserve is pretty plain, but there’s plenty of wildlife and it’s a Dark site. This was posted on one of the boards.😅

          So if you have a decent camera and go during a new moon with few clouds in the summer, you can get some pretty good shots of the milky way. But, beware of the wildlife. I was taking photos at like 1am on the side of a trail and had to book it out of there because a pack of boars started to circle around my location. It was pretty exciting. data-laughing

          Beautiful view tho. I’d definitely like to get back there with some better equipment and try again.