I am no expert on fireflies, but I would like to mention that some fireflies in SE Asia flash in synchrony. Regions consisting of several trees can contain thousands of fireflies that all flash together, a sight which I am told is incredible and beautiful. The mechanism for this is not well known, but it is a topic of great interest to behavioural ecologists as well as researchers on complex systems.
Bill Silvert ----- Original Message ----- From: "WENDEE HOLTCAMP" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 8:01 PM Subject: fireflies/ppl learn about science > FIRE-FLIES: First I'm doing an article on fireflies and it seems they're > most common (or only found?) east of the Rockies except Utah. Yet there > are > some anecdotal reports from CA and WA. Can you all tell me if any of you > currently see blinking fireflies - of any species - there are 175+ in the > US > (not all flash though). OR if you "remember" seeing them when you were a > kid. Another common report is that they are declining in some areas but no > one seems to know why - could be chemicals, could be habitat loss, could > be > light pollution, could be that people are just not outdoors enough to see > them. But can anyone confirm for me that they personally saw them as a > child > in CA or OR or WA? In the West? Or that their parents or grandparents (who > are living and I can contact) saw them out west?
