Fireworks in a jar

Last week we went on an evening family bike ride and on our way home, we saw a handful of fireflies spark up around us.  It was so neat.  I hadn't seen fireflies since living in DC, and they have to be one of my favorite things!  I don't know why, but I didn't see fireflies here last summer.  Maybe it is because I wasn't getting out too much around dusk last summer?  Maybe because I had a new baby?  I don't know, all I know is that the fireflies are in full affect this June!

 

 

 

 

 

Last night I took the boys out with mason jars and nets in hand to catch a few.  There's a great little glen across the street from us near this fantastic pond where the fireflies gather.  It was so fun, and one of those memories I will forever cherish.



The warm night brought about sweaty little heads as the boys ran around the glen, chasing the sparks and screaming with delight when they'd catch one.  Then they'd gingerly put the firefly into the glass jar and cap it with a lid and a sigh of relief.  They each caught about 5 fireflies.

After 30 minutes of intense firefly catching, the hunt was over and time for bed.  We came inside.  The boys stripped down and I checked for ticks and into the bath they went.  It was way past their bedtime by the time they actually got into bed, but totally worth it. 


We had fun.
 
And they went to bed to quite the show.  We put mesh lids on the jars so the bugs could breath and I let them keep the jars in their room that night- It was the coolest thing in the world.  With the lights off, these little jars would intermittently light up as the Jimmy and Johnny, full of excitement and awe watched from their bunk bed.  It was like capturing fireworks in a jar.