Sharing a Core Memory with our Children - Fireflies!

Here’s a look at COMLARA Park—also known as COMLARA Park & Evergreen Lake—in McLean County, Illinois. It’s a beautiful, multi-use recreational area worth exploring:

 

https://www.camplife.com/campground/comlara

 

 

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Overview & Highlights

 

Location & Size

• COMLARA Park spans approximately 1,300 acres and includes Evergreen Lake, which is around 925 acres   .

 

Activities & Amenities

• Outdoor recreation: You can enjoy camping, swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use   .

• Boating details: Evergreen Lake features a 10 hp motor limit—great for kayaking, sailboat sailing, and paddleboarding. You’ll need a watercraft registration or you can rent at the boat rental facility  .

• Beach & concessions: The F.R. Glasener Beach is open daily (no lifeguards—swim at your own risk), and there’s a nearby concession stand  .

 

Camping Facilities

• The park offers 156 individual campsites and 2 group campsites. Types include:

• Electrified sites (30 amp/50 amp)

• Non-electric sites

• Primitive walk-in and primitive walk-in group camps  .

• Most campsites are seasonal (April 1 to November 1), but sites 1–33 and group camp areas remain open year-round—except during firearm deer hunt weekends   .

 

Reservations & Fees

• Campsite reservations for the 2025 season are now being accepted via online, phone, or in-person at the Visitor Center (8 a.m.–6 p.m. daily)  .

• Overnight pricing (plus reservation fees):

• Electric/50 A: ~$35 in person, ~$38 phone/online

• Electric/30 A: ~$32–$35

• Non-electric: ~$29–$32

• McLean County residents get a $2/night discount  .

 

Wildlife & Conservation

• The park participates in a White-tailed Deer Management Program. Hunting (archery and firearm) helps reduce overpopulation—deer densities can exceed 60 per square mile, far above ecological carrying capacity (15–20)   .

• Hunting seasons:

• Archery: October 1–November 11, 2025

• Firearm: November 21–23 and December 4–7, 2025  .

• During certain seasons, parts or all of the park may close to general public access for hunting safety   .

 

Community Contributions & Projects

• Local Boy Scouts have contributed:

• A bridge built by Boy Scout Ian Gresham

• Fishing line recycling tubes installed by Oliver Weber

• Benches added through another Eagle Scout project   .

• Bluebird houses and wood duck nesting structures have also been donated by local craftspeople  .

 

 

Fireflies — also called lightning bugs — are one of nature’s most magical evening sights, turning summer nights into sparkling light shows. Despite the name, they’re not flies at all — they’re actually a type of beetle from the family Lampyridae.

 

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How They Glow

• Fireflies produce light through a chemical reaction called bioluminescence, which happens in special light-producing organs in their lower abdomen.

• The process involves luciferin, luciferase (an enzyme), oxygen, and ATP (cell energy).

• The light is “cold” — meaning it doesn’t give off heat — and can be yellow, green, or even bluish, depending on the species.

 

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Why They Flash

1. Mating Signals – Each species has its own flash pattern so males and females can recognize each other.

2. Predator Deterrence – The light warns predators that fireflies taste bad or are toxic.

3. Communication – Some species use it to signal territory or other social cues.

 

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Where You’ll See Them

• Fireflies love warm, humid environments with lots of vegetation.

• They are often found in meadows, forest edges, and near ponds, rivers, or marshes.

• In the U.S., they’re common in the Midwest, South, and parts of the East — but rare in drier western regions.

 

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Life Cycle

• Eggs are laid in soil or leaf litter.

• Larvae, sometimes called “glowworms,” live in the soil for 1–2 years, eating snails, worms, and other small creatures.

• Adults usually live only a few weeks — just long enough to find a mate and lay eggs.

 

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Conservation Concerns

 

Firefly populations are declining in some areas due to:

• Habitat loss (development, light pollution, pesticide use)

• Artificial lighting that disrupts mating signals

• Environmental changes from climate shifts

 

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Fun Facts

• Some species synchronize their flashing so hundreds blink together — a breathtaking natural display.

• In Japan, fireflies (hotaru) are celebrated as symbols of love and the fleeting beauty of life.

• Not all fireflies glow — some use scent instead of light to attract mates.

CampH54 is a production of Birdman Media™

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