Nurturing Your Inner Garden - Roxana Roshon, Naturotherapist, Ph.D.

Firefly Flight

Posted December 5, 2024

Firefly Flight

For my Summer Solstice & Full Moon blog, I shared that I was drumming in our back yard and watching the full moon rise. I invited you to join me energetically and some of you did.

The full moon was magnificent as its light shone through the trees. Both Steve and I were delighted to see fireflies dancing around our yard. We watched them multiple nights as they pirouetted through the trees.

Fireflies hold a special place in my heart. One of my vivid childhood memories was watching in amazement as the lightning bugs swirled through my maternal grandparents’ rose garden. As I wrote this blog, I learned that the firefly is the state insect of Pennsylvania, which is where my grandparents lived. These insects easily bring delight. Pause and remember what brings you pleasure… 

In July, Steve and I took a road trip to Minnesota (see my Summer Delight blog for a pictorial description of our trip). I stayed at Nerstrand Big Woods State Forest Walk-In Site # 1. It was so calming and connecting watching the fireflies dance around my campsite and the parking area. On our return trip, we spent our last night at Grandma’s House Bed and Breakfast in Rockford MI. The fireflies visited us there too on our evening walk. It was so comforting watching both the moon and the lightning bugs brighten our evenings and connect us.

Recently, I learned that our yard is a supportive habitat for fireflies since we have created a pollinator garden with mainly native plant speciesRead here for more tips on creating spaces that bring fireflies and other insects into your neighborhood. You can start planning your spring gardening now….

In writing this blog, I also came across a 2019 article in the Guelph Today which described how a wet spring leads to enhanced firefly survival. We are very grateful the fireflies enjoyed the slugs in our garden. There are twenty-three species of fireflies in Eastern North America and about 2,000 species worldwide. So, we don’t know if the ones seen in Guelph are the same species in MN and MI.

Since autumn has arrived, the fireflies have laid their eggs and returned to the cycle of life. I will continue to drum on and around the full moon. The full moons have been very powerful. 

Each one of us is a firefly, shining our light as best as we can. Keep shining your inner light by doing what you love!

Shining my light