My principal workplace is pretty marshy, a small tributary of the mighty Hudson flows through it, and expands into a pond. There is a low-lying reedy area where the tributary meets the great river. Yeah, it's pretty much a marsh.
My main reason for this preamble is to establish that we have frogs and bugs in profusion. Early July is the mating season for the bullfrogs and fireflies onsite, so observable mating rituals are a feature of every night. The Fourth, with its loud pyrotechnic display, must play hob for these poor critters. Some poor bullfrog is crooning his heart out, hoping to attract a sexy lady frog, and the booms of the fireworks drown out his love song. Some poor firefly is blinking his ass off while the potential love of his life flies off toward a distant starburst.
The Fourth of July is one big zoological cock-block!
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Wish I'd read this yesterday (the Fourth) so I could go out and see if the local booming. all of which was pretty distant, had any dampening effect on the fireflies.
I have noticed that a surge of loud manmade noise will make singing insects like katydids and crickets fall silent until it ceases. We always have a good population of them in the many large trees in the neighborhood, and we also live near a passenger railway line (north central NJ). The passing trains cause a bit of ground vibration too -- and I wonder if it's the shaking as much as the sound that silences the singing for a few seconds.
Yep! Firework suck! Poor frogs, indeed! But what about the poor dogs who suffer from high anxiety not only on the Fourth of July, but also from all the kiddos who shoot fireworks off all month long until they run out of them. I really hate fireworks! Maybe we can make some tiny headphones for the frogs to muffle the noise so they can get their groove on...
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