Since I was a little kid I have wanted to go firefly hunting. It sounded so magical and so exciting to go chasing after these little flying lights in the sky, trap one (momentarily) in a jar and gaze at it flickering. But I have lived here in Utah for the majority of my life and this dry, hot state is not a habitat for fireflies. I grew up and just resolveed that I would have to travel to a state that was populated with these awesome little bugs and take my own kids to catch them. I added it to my bucket list.
Yesterday, completely out of the blue while I was helping at a youth 10K run a friend of mine told me that there is a field that is covered in them and that I just had to go see it. I am sure that this friend had no idea that this was on my bucket list. I almost didn't believe that it was true. I have never heard of fireflies in Utah. So when I got home I googled it and came up with a news story about the recent phenomenon.
I.
Had.
To.
Go.
TONIGHT!!
I managed to keep it a secret from the kids and the spouse only telling them that we were going to do something that I have wanted to do since I was a little kid and it was going to be one of the best nights of their life. A little over the top? I also may have mentioned that I was so excited to do this top secret thing that I may just cry with excitement. There's the over the top for you. :) We owed our kids a hike to the Grotto for getting some yard work done with us and when we were on our way back down the canyon I told them the exciting thing that we were going to do. Their excitememnt level was melanchally at best, but I had a smile ear to ear.
Yesterday, completely out of the blue while I was helping at a youth 10K run a friend of mine told me that there is a field that is covered in them and that I just had to go see it. I am sure that this friend had no idea that this was on my bucket list. I almost didn't believe that it was true. I have never heard of fireflies in Utah. So when I got home I googled it and came up with a news story about the recent phenomenon.
I.
Had.
To.
Go.
TONIGHT!!
I managed to keep it a secret from the kids and the spouse only telling them that we were going to do something that I have wanted to do since I was a little kid and it was going to be one of the best nights of their life. A little over the top? I also may have mentioned that I was so excited to do this top secret thing that I may just cry with excitement. There's the over the top for you. :) We owed our kids a hike to the Grotto for getting some yard work done with us and when we were on our way back down the canyon I told them the exciting thing that we were going to do. Their excitememnt level was melanchally at best, but I had a smile ear to ear.
I was so excited and at about 8:45 we decided to go and find this mysterious field that seemed to be the home for these fireflies. We only had vague directions and had to call the friend that originally told us about it and confirm that we were in the right spot. We sat in our car and watched the sunset and listened to the the boys fight in the backseat.
And starred through our windshield at this field of grass hoping to see a flickering, floating light...
A few other cars started parking right by us, passengers got out and started wandering into the field, so as not to be the last at the party we got out and joined them.
A few other cars started parking right by us, passengers got out and started wandering into the field, so as not to be the last at the party we got out and joined them.
We walked about 30 feet into the filed and the magic happened....
A flicker flew right in front of us!!
2 little boys quickly chased after it and 1 older boy caught it- bare handed!
We stared at the flickering little bug that peacefully stayed on Logan's hand almost as if to say "yeah, I'm awesome...you can stare at me." after about 30 seconds he took off and flew, flickering into the night.
Now they were excited.
Logan said: "THIS IS EPIC!!!"
It seriously was.
We looked out into the field and the 2 surrounding fileds that had horses and llamas in them and saw this...
A flicker flew right in front of us!!
2 little boys quickly chased after it and 1 older boy caught it- bare handed!
We stared at the flickering little bug that peacefully stayed on Logan's hand almost as if to say "yeah, I'm awesome...you can stare at me." after about 30 seconds he took off and flew, flickering into the night.
Now they were excited.
Logan said: "THIS IS EPIC!!!"
It seriously was.
We looked out into the field and the 2 surrounding fileds that had horses and llamas in them and saw this...
All of those tiny little glowing dust specs are fireflies. There were hundreds of them! The fun began!
Okay, so now you are wondering how and where you can go so you can cross this off your bucket list too, right?
WHAT?! Its not on your bucket list?! Well, it should be. Shame on you. It is fantastically magical.
A few guide lines before I give away the secret:
This is someone's PERSONAL property. The farmer is kind enough to open his gates and allow the public to experience the magic. So be respectful and responsible when you go there.
There are lots of people that live near by, so as much as you want to scream with excitement, try to refrian.
These little firelflies are here and no one knows why or how or how long they will be here. It is a true phenomenon. So catch them, capture them on film and release them. The ones that we put in a jar, we released- except on that accidentally had a wing torn off by a very remourseful 6 year old. He is living in a very cozy rehabilitation center on my kitchen counter.
These bugs are very dosile. They will let you hold them and pick them right off of the grass. Be just as gentle to them.
Keep in mind that fireflies are nocturnal. The time that we started seeing them was at about 9:30. Little ones will be up very late at night (mine were not in bead until 11 and I heard them talking about how "epic" it was for another good 30 minutes.) Your ittle ones will be up very late the night that you take them.
So as long as you PROMISE to follow the guidelines I will share the location:
From Main Street in Spanish Fork head South. You will get to Volunteer Drive (where the new gas station/Wendy's and the Wiggy Wash are, and if you turn right then you get to the sports park) the next left that is after that light is where you will turn left, it is immediately after the light so pay attention. The street is called South Lane. You will drive down that street for a little over a mile and on the North side of the road you will see a whitish (it was dark when I was driving, sorry) house and just after that you will see a field with Llama and horses in it. On the South side of the street is an area that you can park (looks like it is a recent addition of road base) The magical field is just East of the horse/Llama field and when I was there, the gate to access it was open, and there is a little access path (large anough to get a tractor through it) to get to walk to the field. If you come to the part in the road where two road join you have gone a tiny bit too far. Back up about 50 yards. The fireflies like the taller grass more than the cut grass, so look where the horses and Llama are and to the field that is just North of the cut field.
Go have an awesome time!! You won't regret keeping your little ones up. :)
WHAT?! Its not on your bucket list?! Well, it should be. Shame on you. It is fantastically magical.
A few guide lines before I give away the secret:
This is someone's PERSONAL property. The farmer is kind enough to open his gates and allow the public to experience the magic. So be respectful and responsible when you go there.
There are lots of people that live near by, so as much as you want to scream with excitement, try to refrian.
These little firelflies are here and no one knows why or how or how long they will be here. It is a true phenomenon. So catch them, capture them on film and release them. The ones that we put in a jar, we released- except on that accidentally had a wing torn off by a very remourseful 6 year old. He is living in a very cozy rehabilitation center on my kitchen counter.
These bugs are very dosile. They will let you hold them and pick them right off of the grass. Be just as gentle to them.
Keep in mind that fireflies are nocturnal. The time that we started seeing them was at about 9:30. Little ones will be up very late at night (mine were not in bead until 11 and I heard them talking about how "epic" it was for another good 30 minutes.) Your ittle ones will be up very late the night that you take them.
So as long as you PROMISE to follow the guidelines I will share the location:
From Main Street in Spanish Fork head South. You will get to Volunteer Drive (where the new gas station/Wendy's and the Wiggy Wash are, and if you turn right then you get to the sports park) the next left that is after that light is where you will turn left, it is immediately after the light so pay attention. The street is called South Lane. You will drive down that street for a little over a mile and on the North side of the road you will see a whitish (it was dark when I was driving, sorry) house and just after that you will see a field with Llama and horses in it. On the South side of the street is an area that you can park (looks like it is a recent addition of road base) The magical field is just East of the horse/Llama field and when I was there, the gate to access it was open, and there is a little access path (large anough to get a tractor through it) to get to walk to the field. If you come to the part in the road where two road join you have gone a tiny bit too far. Back up about 50 yards. The fireflies like the taller grass more than the cut grass, so look where the horses and Llama are and to the field that is just North of the cut field.
Go have an awesome time!! You won't regret keeping your little ones up. :)
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