Firefly

Occasionally we see fireflies at dusk along the edge of the woods, when the conditions are just right. It feels like our own little private light show. 

It is very difficult to take a photo of them because the evening lighting is poor and their flashes are irregular.

One happened to be near the house recently, and Son managed to catch it in his hand. He brought it in for us to see and we put it in a jar. I had always wondered what they looked like up close.

Even in a jar, in the house with better lighting, it was still very difficult to get a photo. The only way we could get a good image was to take a video and capture screen shots.

The light from the firefly looks an unnatural fluorescent green color, and the shapes look like a wi-fi symbol.

With a little quick research, I found that fireflies are actually a type of beetle. The flashing lights from their abdomen are a complicated mating ritual. You can read more about it here.