The memories I have of growing up in Ohio with those summer twilight fields and lawns sparkling with those amazing small flashes always makes me smile. Or the discovery of glowing worms in a crumbling downed tree in the woods as an adolescent when hunting for snipes (don't ask).
I know these fascinating creatures are in South East as well as the Mid-West but does anyone know why they are not in the rest of the USA. I now live near the West coast and the seasons are similar to those in the lightning bug zones but there are none. I miss the little guys. Have even tried to mimic them with LEDs but that's lame. Could they be "imported" from the mid-west? I don't think they are invasive. This is a temperate climate with marshes, wooded areas and grass fields. One would think they would do well here.
There are no Monarch butterflies here either but at least I know the reason for that, migration paths but the lightning bug [Arachnocampa] does not migrate. Anyone with more answers or want to send me a jar full?

I think Lightning Bugs and Fireflies are the same thing. Lots of Lightning Bugs here in my garden. I do remember them well from childhood summer nights.

I agree, Fireflies and Lightning Bugs are one and the same. I grew up in coastal Virginia and vividly remember "Lightning Bugs" (as we always called them although Fireflies has a more romantic sound to it.) We'd catch them and put them in mason jars for night lights, LOL. I've been in Florida 47 years and I do believe I've seen a few but it was awhile ago ... now you've got my curiosity up as to where they go.

This map at Nat'l Geographic shows they are wide-ranged: http://animals.nationalgeograp...

I found this very interesting; I guess they are disappearing: http://www.firefly.org/

I hadn't seen fireflies since childhood (growing up on the west coast) until I moved to right here in northest Texas! Now my grandsons come to visit and they can see fireflies for the first time! There is something magical about them.

Good links, Lin! I like this one : http://www.firefly.org/

We have a lot of forest surrounding us, which is usually where we see they flying at night.