Have you seen them? They’re here again. Yes, yards and fields are aglow with their yellow flashes from whence they got their nickname - fireflies. 

As robins signal the beginning of spring, fireflies (or lightning bugs) signal summer is upon us. These inch-long bugs are actually beetles, or nocturnal members of the family Lampyridae. Most fireflies are winged, which distinguishes them from other luminescent insects of the same family, commonly known as glowworms.  And there are about 2,000 firefly species. They live in a variety of warm environments, as well as in more temperate regions, and are, as we know, a familiar sight on summer evenings. 

Fireflies spend the first two years of their lives underground but lawn chemicals can kill them. They are nocturnal and during the day they spend most of their time on the ground. At night they crawl to the tops of blades of grass and will fly into tree branches to signal to mates with their flashes. They love long grasses as it conceals them better and allows them a better vantage point for signaling at night. And when mowing the lawn, it may disturb them. 

During the day, nocturnal adult fireflies hide in grass and low-profile plants. A nice variety of shrubs, high grass and low-growing plants will provide shelter. And did you know they are not found west of Kansas for some reason. Adult fireflies live about two months or long enough to mate and lay eggs in grasses. Their larvae usually live for approximately one year from mating season to mating season, before becoming adults and giving birth to the next generation. Females deposit their eggs in the ground, which is where larvae develop to adulthood. Underground larvae feed on worms and slugs by injecting them with a numbing fluid.

The flashes seen are done primarily by females to attract a male. Sometimes a male will imitate them to attract females of their own species. And when the female shows up thinking its food, they find a mate. Fireflies are said to feed on plant pollen, nectar, insects, other fireflies or nothing at all and can be considered pollinators as well. 

And in case you’re wondering how they flash and glow, they have light organs that are located in their abdomens. They take in oxygen and combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat. Then when they flash, they flash in patterns that are unique to each species. Each blinking pattern is an optical signal that helps fireflies find potential mates. Scientists, however, are not sure how the insects regulate this process to turn their lights on and off. Their flashes also serve as a defense mechanism to warn other insect's that they are unappetizing.

If you’re seeing fewer fireflies, scientists say their populations are on the decline. It’s attributed to a combination of light pollution, pesticides and habitat loss. And it’s been said that when a field where fireflies lived gets developed, they don’t migrate to another field, they just disappear. 

As a kid I’d catch them then let them go. I remember afterward that my hand would smell from a scent they must have deposited on it, which may be the luciferin. And although some kids continue to catch them today, it’s recommended to not put them in a jar or bottle but give them their freedom so they can live to make a new generation so we can all enjoy their brilliant flashes in the summer night. They may not be flashing much longer, so enjoy the evening light show this summer. 
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You’ve probably recently seen TV newscasts on screwworm infestation in livestock. Well, it can also affect live deer, dogs, other small animals, even people in rare cases, says the folks from National Deer Association (NDA). And Pennsylvania deer hunters should be concerned and on the lookout for infected deer.

According to NDA, the tiny New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) doesn’t look so frightening until you learn it’s horrific life-cycle. The larvae of this particular fly don’t eat dead tissue like normal maggots. They burrow or “screw” into their victims and eat living flesh of deer. 

New World screwworm kills deer by laying their eggs in open wounds, mucous membranes or orifices of its victims. In spring and summer, newborn fawns are especially susceptible through their umbilical cords. In fall, adult bucks are susceptible through wounds on their heads and necks from fighting other bucks, explains NDA. Once inside the wound or opening, screwworm maggots eat the living tissue and burrow deeper. The wound attracts more flies, which lay additional eggs and the infected wound grows. Without human intervention, secondary infection in the growing wound eventually kills the animal. 

Back in 2016, a screwworm outbreak on Big Pine Key killed nearly 20 percent of Florida’s endangered Key deer population. Florida biologists found living deer with maggot-filled craters on their heads, necks, mouths, genitalia, between their hooves and other locations. 

The screwworm fly originated and escaped South America and made it far north including Mexico and 160 miles south of the Texas border. The impact on livestock activated a response from the U.S. Department of Agriculture where researchers came up with a strategy to defeat the screwworm fly by using radiation to sterilize male screwworm flies and release them by the millions in affected areas. As a result, female flies mated fruitlessly with these sterile males, laid nonviable eggs resulting in a crashed fly population. This was back in 1950s in the Southeast. 

Most recently, active cases of the screwworm fly are in cattle, pigs, horses and dogs in northeast Mexico. The USDA is dispersing 100 million sterile flies per week in Mexico, focusing on areas with detected cases, and it’s dispersing them 50 miles into south Texas as a precaution. 
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It's bad enough we have to deal with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Pennsylvania deer, now as hunters and animal lovers, we have to be vigilant for screwworm infestation. NDA suggest the biggest thing hunters can do is keep observing deer. NDA says that since hunters aren’t handling deer outside of hunting season, they recommend keeping their trail-cameras out in spring and summer as an aid in keeping an eye on the animals. If spotting a suspected screwworm wound, contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission. As a reminder, they say screwworms attack deer, rabbits, wild turkeys, raccoons and other small mammals which includes livestock, dogs and cats. Symptoms include live maggots in a wound or opening. 

Now that most schools are off for the summer and vacations start for many, Blue Mountain Resort offers outdoor activities for the entire family. 

“For the avid bikers in the family, Blue Mountain Biking returns and offers the only lift-served bike park. It features an exciting vertical drop of 1,082 feet and 30 downhill trails suited for riders of all skill levels from beginner-friendly flow trails to technical singletrack and jump lines,” says Marguarite Clark, Blue Mountain Public Relations Manager. Added to this, the biking park is serviced by the high-speed Comet Quad Lift. Offered too, are rental, protective gear, repair services and introductory lessons. 

Blue Mountain also offers their weekend Summit Adventure Park featuring ziplining, high ropes, laser tag, archery tag, nighttime climbing and the Adventure Cube which is a four-sided climbing structure designed to accommodate multiple participants simultaneously. 

Guests can also enjoy hiking trails, scenic lift ride and disc golf throughout the mountain. This can be followed by dining and live entertainment at Blue’s Slopeside Pub and Grill.

Campers are not left out at Blue Mountain as camping and glamping offers traditional tent and RV sites to upgraded glamping options. Campsites are located on scenic mountain prairie fields and include picnic tables, fire rings and access to bathrooms and showers. Group glamping is also available for reunions, youth groups and team outings. 

Glamping guests can choose from scenic mountain sites featuring amenities such as solar lighting, charging stations, bunk beds with air mattresses, coolers, solar showers, benches, Adirondack chairs and picnic tables. Two stocked ponds are available for fishing, and a camp store offers basic provisions and souvenirs. 

Beginning June 22, Blue Mountain hosts Summer Adventure Camps offering day and overnight programs for children ages 5 to 15. Planned activities include ziplining, rock climbing, hiking, team-building, challenges and other outdoor experiences designed to encourage exploration and confidence in a mountain setting. 

With travel costs reportedly high this year, staying closer to home makes sense and Blue Mountain offers a myriad of outdoor family enjoyment. 

NEW JERSEY SALTWATER FISHING REPORT

Since trout fishing action has ceased, and you crave big, good eating fish, New Jersey’s On the Water Magazine reports there’s plenty of bait around, including squid, sand eels and bunker. Squid are so plentiful that party boats are targeting them at night. 

Beach anglers are catching bass and black drum on clams and blues on bunker chunks and metal. Fluke are in the mix as well, as keepers have been caught in the suds on Gulp and bucktails. 

Anglers fishing the rivers report catching bass and blues along with fluke and weakfish. 
The Jersey tackle shops are hearing rumors of tuna, but no catches have been confirmed as yet. With all the sand eels and squid around, that’s likely to change. 

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