# Fireflies that light on the way up **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 5, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096 "2000-09-05T16:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anopia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@Anopia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anopia)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/1 "2000-09-05T16:01:07Z")
Doug wrote to Mark Fritz in Cincinnati that fireflies light on the way up only in the Cincinnati area, but I’ve lived in Texas all my life and I’ve long pointed out the fact that fireflies usually light only when rising. In Sherman, Texas (near Dallas) I used to visit a certain field at twilight to watch the hundreds of fireflies drifting upward as they lit, giving the whole hillside a surreal, effervescing appearance. Now I live in Austin, and the fireflies here do the same thing. How do fireflies light where you are? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/2 "2000-09-05T16:36:21Z")
Anopia, congratulations on your first post, and welcome! The Mailbag Answer being referred to is: [Why do fireflies only glow when flying upwards?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfirefly.html) ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/3 "2000-09-05T16:37:51Z")
Please include a link to the mailbag article. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). The mailbag item can be found on-line at this link: [Why do fireflies only glow when flying upwards? (04-Sep-2000)](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfirefly.html) ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/4 "2000-09-05T16:40:06Z")
The article was: [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfirefly.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfirefly.html) I was curious if anyone else has noticed this: In my childhood in Pennsylvania (I’m now 26), I recall the fireflies as being very yellow in color. Now, when I see them (still in Pennsylvania), they appear noticeably green. Anyone else second this? (Some I have talked to in PA agree w/me, while others haven’t really noticed a change.) I had always feared that some manmade environmental change had caused some forced evolution, but considering Doug’s comment that there are 140+ species of firefly, perhaps a greener species is simply pushing the yellow ones out of their niche. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/5 "2000-09-05T16:40:24Z")
P.S. I live in an urban area in Southern California. No fireflies here. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/6 "2000-09-06T03:14:19Z")
Holy dueling mod simulposts, Batman! Who shall win? Arnold or Dex? Bets, anyone? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/7 "2000-09-06T17:04:12Z")
Well, since this is CKDextHavn’s forum, and additionally since he pipped me to the post, I would say the victory is his. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Anopia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@Anopia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anopia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/8 "2000-09-06T19:39:12Z")
I hear crickets in here and not much else. Bugs me. Sooooo, I’m going to go stand on my head and watch fireflies while drinking Campari through a straw. Then’ll I’ll open my diary and record all of the various trajectories I observed. The results will be published long after I’m dead, and any input will be welcome at that time. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/9 "2000-09-06T20:07:52Z")
Now, Anopia, 7 responses and 55 views ain’t bad for a topic of such … um … en **lightening** importance. However, do report back whether drinking Campari through a straw while standing on your head cures hiccups, or whether that’s only an urban legend. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/10 "2000-09-07T09:46:00Z")
I’ve noticed this too. When I was younger, all the fireflies we ever saw/caught were of the orange/yellow (variations of both) variety. Now all I ever see are green ones. I _did_ see a blue one once, on the screen of my bedroom window when I was about fourteen. I watched it for several minutes until it flew off; _convincing_ myself that I was wide awake, as I knew I would think I’d dreamed it later on. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/11 "2000-09-07T12:41:08Z")
Well, back in the '60s, friends of mine swore they saw purple and yellow fireflies, with bright red spot and a flashing green spiral… … six inches long. ---
**Author:** ![Anopia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@Anopia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anopia)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/12 "2000-09-07T17:52:13Z")
Go watch fireflies. Make sure it’s kinda dusky out. Note how they glow as they go. Fly back here and enlighten me. Honestly, I have wondered about this for many years. Really. I was pretty excited about posting topic. I am all dashed and whatnot now. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fireflies-that-light-on-the-way-up/32096/13 "2000-09-07T23:35:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CKDextHavn \* > \*\*Well, back in the '60s, friends of mine swore they saw purple and yellow fireflies, with bright red spot and a flashing green spiral… > > … six inches long. > \*\* Wow…um, any chance they could score me some of that? 😃