Een aand, nie lank gelede nie, het ek ‘n swerm vuurvliegies langs die Luvuvhu-rivier in die Makuya-natuurreservaat in Limpopo gesien. Ek was skoon oorstelp. Vuurvliegies is vir my “wonderwerke” en “sprokies”, en almal wat ek hieroor uitvra, stem saam. Die hartseer is dat meeste van ons hulle laas as kinders gesien het. Wie is hierdie klein liggies in die donker? Waar woon hulle, wat eet hulle, hoe leef hulle en hoekom is daar so min van hulle? In Episode 10 deel ’n lid van die Lampyrinae-familie hulle lief en leed met my, by monde van entomoloog Renier Basson van die Endangered Wildlife Trust. Laai af, luister saam en deel jóú ervarings met vuurvliegies in die kommentaarveld hieronder.

A Light in the Dark

One evening not long ago, I saw a swarm of fireflies along the Luvuvhu River in the Makuya Nature Reserve. I was completely in awe. Fireflies have always felt like little “miracles” and “fairytales” to me, and everyone I ask, tend to agree. The sad part is that most of us last saw fireflies when we were children. Who are these tiny lights in the dark? Where do they live, what do they eat, how do they live — and why are there so few of them? In Episode 10, a member of the Lampyrinae family shares their joys and struggles with me, through the voice of entomologist Renier Basson from the Endangered Wildlife Trust. Download, listen in, and share your firefly memories in the comment section below.

Intro & outro music: https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/ immaterial/68717