Hoyle once again top lightning bug collector

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Sarah Hoyle was this area’s top lightning bug collector. She netted 197 grams of lightning bugs and was paid $66 for her efforts.

Warren County bug collectors have contributed their fair share to science, netting a 4 percent increase in lightning bug collections over the last effort in 2001.

The bugs were gathered in June and July for researchers with Analytical Luminescence Labs in Baltimore, Md., who use McMinnville Civic Center as a collections point and pay participants per gram of lightning bugs. They did not accept collections locally in 2002.

Researchers said this week area collectors contributed 726 grams of lightning bugs to the lab, which uses the insects for public health safety testing of food and as a tool in genetic research.

Taking top honors again this year was Sarah Hoyle, who collects lightning bugs at her family’s rural farm just across the Warren County line in Grundy County. Hoyle netted 197 grams, for which she was paid $66.

In 2000, the first year the lab paid people for local collections, she took second place with 81 grams and in 2001, she netted 453 grams for a check for $144. The lab paid 33 cents a gram this year.

Others contributing to the effort were: Amy Shields, Drew Evans, Belinda Wilcoxson, Ryan and Tootie King, Rodrigo, Jennifer and Tomasa Barboza, Alison and Tiffany Fountain and Misty King.

Next year’s effort is to be announced, the lab noted, but anyone who wants to be notified personally if there is a firefly season next year may call 1-888-520-1272 or e-mail [email protected].