Try it on a full-moon night and watch the sun set, the moon rise and the light come on in the automated lighthouse. You'll also notice birds such as herons and egrets flying to their roosts. As you drive slowly back out of the refuge along the paved road, watch for the twinkle of fireflies in wooded areas. Near Headquarters Pond, you may hear the deep grunts of pig frogs. You will, of course, be sharing the refuge with a host of biting insects, those less-popular denizens of the night.
Summer is a good time to think about their words.
As the daylight dims and a faint breeze heralds nightfall, a whole host of organisms, from earwigs and cockroaches to owls and bats, begin the active part of their daily cycle. Their light, or bioluminescence, is made when a protein, luciferin, is mixed with oxygen and an enzyme, luciferase. Some fireflies are active at dusk, others at full dark. The flashing communication is made by both sexes but the pattern of flashing differs with each species. Look for the bat's rapid wing beats and erratic flight.