Night hike Friday at Sodalis Nature Preserve to feature information about fireflies

HANNIBAL, Mo. — This hot weather is the perfect time to take a break from the heat and enjoy the fireflies lighting up the sky in the evening.

There will be a night hike through Sodalis Nature Preserve at 8 p.m. Friday, June 27 called: “Fairies of the Night: The Magical World of Fireflies.”

The nature program is offered by Hannibal Parks and Recreation Department and sponsored by Hannibal BASF. Nature interpreter Gale Rubee will lead the program with the help of the Mississippi Hills Master Naturalists.

“Fireflies are nature’s fairies,” Rublee said in a press release. “These beetles in the Lampryidae family are like little blinking lamps lighting up the dark. They contain a bioluminescent chemical which allows them to flash signals to each other. Different kinds of lighting bugs prefer different kinds of habitats like open fields, streams or forests. The ones at Sodalis light up the trees after dark like a magical fairyland.”

The full program is about two hours and covers a 2-mile paved loop with a steep incline. Participants have the option to return sooner if desired. Registration is required at www.hannibalparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program.