Light In Flight

"We're going on a hunt!"

These were the excited words of my six-year-old in the hours before we started our first firefly search of the season.

As dusk settled in, he kept running to the window to check for flashes. A meadow at the edge of our front yard provides the perfect capturing ground.

We headed out around 9 p.m., armed with Coleman's nifty Firefly Lantern (see Round 'Em Up!, below).

Catching fireflies is a wee bit harder than I remembered, but every bit as fun. Maybe I was just out of practice. My son, Will, caught the first one, much to his delight.

My husband, Jim, quickly got into the swing, and, finally, even I caught one. Yes, I felt like a kid again.

The flashing light is part of a mating ritual, and frankly, fireflies are a flirtatious bunch. You see a light, head for the spot, and the flickering ingenue has already flown to some other spot. But they don't fly too quickly and if you spot a flash at the right moment, you can catch one in your hand.

The only problem with our hunt was that the mosquitoes were also on the prowl. When we headed inside, Will, a numbers man, reported everyone's tally. Although his father had caught the most, Will said, "Since I caught the first one, I think I'm actually the champ."

Make sure your brood doesn't miss out on this magical hunt.

Round 'Em Up!
When I was a kid in West Virginia, we called fireflies lightning bugs. We punched air holes in the tops of plastic containers or peanut butter jars, then started catching.

Today's kids can use a more official container, Coleman's metal-screened, swivel-top Firefly Lantern, ($7.99). It doubles as a home for other insects your kids will catch—ladybugs, spiders, and the like. And in the bottom is a secret compartment to stash away magnifying glasses and other goodies. Homemade containers are fine, but this little gizmo is inspiring—it's a good visual reminder to get out there and catch those bugs. And the mesh screen allows prey to get more air than most homemade contraptions. Having captured bugs stay alive is a definite plus for successful family hunts!

Will loves the Coleman lantern. We watched it on his nightstand at bedtime, and he checked the bugs first thing in the morning. Then we went outside, opened the lid, and set the fireflies free. Now we're all ready for another night of hunting.