# Saw a firefly last night **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 30, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309 "2012-03-30T18:54:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![haranr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f19dbf/32.png) [@haranr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/haranr)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309/21 "2012-08-27T03:53:24Z")
I have lived in california 50+ years & have never saw a firefly so i don’t know what they look like. Few weeks ago during a cycling tour to Yosemite via Mariposa and the Merced River I saw what I think was a firefly. We could’nt find a camp site so we stealth camped on the bank of the Merced River In the “Merced wild & scenic river” area. After falling asleep that night I woke early morning before daylght to see a small bright light houvering maybe 2~3 feet above my head, it made a streak of light as it headed for a tree branch and the light went out as soon as it hit or landed on the branch. The light was as bright a an LED, almost quartz bright. Does this discription sound like it could have been a firefly? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309/22 "2012-08-27T03:56:22Z")
sure seems like could be one. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309/23 "2012-08-27T07:09:12Z")
> [@haranr](#): > > I have lived in california 50+ years & have never saw a firefly so i don’t know what they look like. Few weeks ago during a cycling tour to Yosemite via Mariposa and the Merced River I saw what I think was a firefly. We could’nt find a camp site so we stealth camped on the bank of the Merced River In the “Merced wild & scenic river” area. After falling asleep that night I woke early morning before daylght to see a small bright light houvering maybe 2~3 feet above my head, it made a streak of light as it headed for a tree branch and the light went out as soon as it hit or landed on the branch. The light was as bright a an LED, almost quartz bright. Does this discription sound like it could have been a firefly? was it a sort of light greenish yellow color? If so, yup =) ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309/24 "2012-08-27T08:38:51Z")
I feel bad about showering in the morning and seeing the almost dead fireflys lighting up as they go down the drain. Sorry guys but pick another place to die will you? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309/25 "2012-08-27T10:24:33Z")
> [@haranr](#): > > I have lived in california 50+ years & have never saw a firefly so i don’t know what they look like. Few weeks ago during a cycling tour to Yosemite via Mariposa and the Merced River I saw what I think was a firefly. We could’nt find a camp site so we stealth camped on the bank of the Merced River In the “Merced wild & scenic river” area. After falling asleep that night I woke early morning before daylght to see a small bright light houvering maybe 2~3 feet above my head, it made a streak of light as it headed for a tree branch and the light went out as soon as it hit or landed on the branch. The light was as bright a an LED, almost quartz bright. Does this discription sound like it could have been a firefly? According to National Geographic, fireflies can be anywhere in the US. Even Alaska! I did not know that until just now. [Link](http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/firefly/) ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309/26 "2012-08-27T10:25:27Z")
It’s funny, I haven’t seen any fireflies in 20 years then a couple of years ago all summer long I see hundreds of them all over the neighborhood. They put on a very good show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-firefly-last-night/617309.md?page=1)