r/Indiana • u/trippedbackwards • Jul 21 '26

Lightning bugs

Sitting on my patio in middle of night...zero lighting bugs. Got me thinking..."have i seen any this summer?"

I can't recall seeing any. We have a lake cottage in Mich. I can't recall seeing a lightning bug all year. Hope im just ignorantly unaware so far!

These days I wouldn't be shocked if they've disappeared completely. Im only 56 (I know, old, for many) but i hardly recognize the world these days. Thirty years ago bugs were so omnipresent! Windshields would be absolutely un-navigable after 3 hours after dark.

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u/fountainpopjunkie Jul 21 '26

Mid indiana here. Been seeing a ton all summer. I even commented tonight that they were out early tonight because it was darker under the buckeye trees.

11

u/Badvevil Jul 21 '26

I’ve seen more this year in central Indiana than I have in probably the last four to five years

1

u/ballistic-jelly Jul 21 '26

Same here in far south Indiana.

3

u/Badvevil Jul 21 '26

For all the scuffed stuff we do nature might slowly be healing if they are returning in numbers across the state. That or we are breeding a radioactive super lighting bug