The Abode Blog

Company Updates, Outdoor Tutorials and Observations

Conservation

A single firefly glowing against a dark Minnesota forest at dusk in late June

Conservation

Why Fireflies Are Disappearing And How to Bring Them Back

Firefly populations are declining across North America — and most people don't know it's happening until the field they grew up watching goes dark. Here's the science behind why fireflies are disappearing, what light pollution and lawn chemicals are actually doing to them, and what a genuinely firefly-friendly yard looks like.

Conservation

Dragonflies: The Most Effective Predator on the Trail

Dragonflies catch 95% of what they chase, more than any predator on Earth, including sharks and lions. Most people walk right past them on the trail. Here's the biology behind the most effective hunter in the Northwoods: how they see, how they hunt, how to identify the species you'll find at the lake's edge, and what their presence tells you about the water beneath them.

Billions of mayflies swarming over the Mississippi River at sunset during the June hatch

Conservation

The Mayfly Hatch: The Mississippi River's Most Spectacular Event

Every June, billions of mayflies rise from the bottom of the Mississippi River in one synchronized surge of wings. It shows up on weather radar. It shuts down bridge lights in southeast Minnesota. And it only happens because the river is clean enough to support it. Here's the full story of one of the Midwest's most dramatic, and least understood, natural events.