July was a miserably hot month in Gloucester and Mathews counties, and August and September temperatures promise to be high, too. As uncomfortable as the summer has been for us, we have escaped the broiling heat, wildfires, torrential rains, tornadoes, and other terrifying events that have affected much of the nation for weeks. Every day we view videos and photos on the internet and TV of the results of weeks of unyielding heat and severe storms. Seeing all that destruction and despair can be disheartening, which is why I have chosen to focus on positive occurrences in our Gloucester garden and woods this summer.
Jim and I spend most summer evenings outside in our gazebo. In June, I noticed a significant increase in the number of nocturnal, winged beetles we call lightning bugs or fireflies entertaining us with their nightly light show. In 2017, I wrote a column about the decreasing numbers of lightning bugs in the United States and ways to attract and protect these harmless insects.
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