Fireflies Reminds Me of Chateau Du Mer

This posting reminds me of watching fireflies at Chateau Du Mer Beach House in the Philippines

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2017/08/night-activities-at-chateau-du-mer-boac.html

We might be witnessing the twilight of fireflies, one of the last generations to drift through the summer dark like living embers. But this isn't nature’s doing. It’s ours.

Fireflies are vanishing fast. Across North America, over 130 species are now at risk. Rare ones like the amber comet firefly are hanging by a thread in just a few patches of Texas. It’s not just one threat, it’s a perfect storm. Expanding cities pave over forests and wetlands. Backyard floodlights blind their courtship signals. Pesticides poison the soil they breed in. And climate change scrambles their life cycles with heatwaves and droughts.

The amber comet, once thought extinct since the 1940s, was rediscovered recently but only in scattered wet grasslands. It flashes like a slow-motion meteor across the night. A signal in the dark. A warning.

Fireflies are more than nostalgia. They’re indicators, when they disappear, it’s a red flag for the whole ecosystem. Their larvae eat snails and pests. They need moist soil, native plants, dark skies. When their world collapses, it’s a sign that frogs, birds, and bees are next.

But the spark isn’t gone yet. There’s still time to reverse this. Cut the glare, use less outdoor light, install motion sensors, choose warmer bulbs. Skip the pesticides and let your yard go wild. Build patches of native plants, damp soil, and leafy undergrowth. Protect the shadows. Let nature breathe.

Join a citizen science group. Count fireflies. Map their glow. You’ll be doing more than watching insects, you’ll be protecting an ancient conversation between light and night.

Or we can keep doing what we’re doing. Keep building. Keep spraying. Keep lighting up the night until it goes quiet.

And fireflies become just another story we tell around the campfire.

Meanwhile, Did you know.......

Abaca, also known as Manila hemp, is native to the Philippines and it's 3x stronger than cotton! This durable fiber was prized globally: it was used for ship rigging, ropes, paper, and even U.S. dollar bills. Its natural resistance to saltwater made it essential for naval use.

Today, the Philippines remains the world’s top exporter of abaca fiber a hidden powerhouse of natural industry. Abaca, also known as Manila hemp, is native to the Philippines and it's 3x stronger than cotton! This durable fiber was prized globally: it was used for ship rigging, ropes, paper, and even U.S. dollar bills. Its natural resistance to saltwater made it essential for naval use.

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