Bug Love

Fireflies seem ephemeral, but their lore goes way back: Mayan mythology associated them with stars and cigar-smoking, and in ancient China, insectophiles trapped them in wicker “lanterns” as temporary sources of mood lighting. Earth is home to more than 2000 species of the bioluminescent beetles, and in some spots — along river banks in Malaysia, for example — they inexplicably blink as one neon-flashing community. That sort of phenomenon probably won’t happen on Sunday night, when a community festival at Royalton’s Four Springs Farm celebrates summer’s signature beastie. But the gentle twinkling of thousands of “lighting bugs” should still be spectacular. Kids can bring glass jars to a community picnic with ice-cream and butter-making, games, and folk music by hammered dulcimer and fiddle duo Samantha Moffat and Mike Gareau, then settle down after sunset for an evening glow show.