There are a few things that, to me, that really epitomize the countryside on a summer evening. And two of them are fireflies and cicadas. And, yes, you can find these in the parks of New York City. This one was photographed on the arm of a friend in Washington Square Park. Many nights this month, we were witness to a wonderful light show. I attempted unsuccessfully to capture one glowing. I was reassured, however, by my photographer friend Bill Shatto, who is an expert at insect photography, that capturing this was not an easy feat . You can see his work here on his flickr site.

There are many fascinating facts about fireflies, such as the light efficiency of bio luminescence – 90% of the energy used is actually converted to light (as contrasted with an incandescent bulb, which is only 10% efficient). The production of light is primarily a tool for mating – males exhibit courting behavior in the form of flashing patterns while flying. Females generally do not fly but respond with flashes. You can read more about them here.

I like the gentle flashing of fireflies – it is so emblematic of a warm summer’s eve. I immediately enter into a comfort zone, transported back to my boyhood in New England…