I have a new favorite book, “Night Magic,” by New York Times bestselling nature writer, Leigh Ann Henion. The book is aptly named as, chapter by chapter, through nighttime experiences in each season, Henion takes us on a deep dive into a world that few of us are aware of, let alone see. She opens the door into the night, recounting rich and surprising stories of the many creatures who rely on darkness for their survival.
Appropriately for us in the Delaware Valley right now, Henion begins with fireflies, but not just any fireflies. She takes us to the Great Smoky Mountains in Elkmont, Tennessee to watch the mesmerizing dance of synchronous fireflies, so-called because they all flash their lights at the same time. How spectacular would that be to see?
Earlier in the year, Henion asked if I would be interested in reviewing her book. The topic sounded perfect for “From the Ground Up,” so I said yes. I saved it for now though, for summer—when nights are shorter and warmer and therefore potentially less intimidating, and when many of us instinctively linger out of doors well past twilight.
I had no idea that the book would present such a challenge. Not from any deficit— Henion writes about her experiences and the science behind what she observes in delicious prose—but because Night Magic is packed with fascinating detail. Every chapter is like a sumptuous, multi-course meal. There’s no way that I can gobble it up, digest it, all at once.
Curiously, except for foxfire (bioluminescence created by a type of fungi), each chapter explores something that I’ve personally had experience with, inviting me to recall my own experiences:
Fireflies—Since childhood I’ve loved going out on summer evenings to watch these beetles rise out of the grass and sparkle up into the dark canopy of nearby trees.
Salamander Migration—In college I assisted a zoology professor and one of his grad students track salamander migration in the Connecticut Arboretum.
Owls Nesting—Several years ago a quartet of just-fledged screech owls came to bathe in our birdbath every morning. We also found them, eyes glowing, at night.
Glowworms Squirming—I’ve seen just one glowworm in my life, in the leaf litter along a country road.
Moths Transforming—I’ve had the excitement of seeing giant luna moths up close at our windows.
Bats Flying—On early evening walks, my husband and I almost always see bats flitting through the air.
Henion’s point in bringing these creatures to our attention isn’t just because they are beautiful and/or intriguing. She hopes that readers will come to understand that while we tend to stay tucked away in our houses (and maybe we’re a little afraid of the dark), there is as rich a world alive at night as there is in daylight. The night teems with a myriad of species that only exist because of the dark.
The sobering side of her message is that without the dark—good, serious dark—many species cannot survive. And it’s not just creatures that we might only ever see at night. Many birds rely on dark skies to migrate. Too much light can scramble their ability to navigate, and the amount of light pollution here and around the world continues to increase.
There are so many places that are lit up that we have no control over. I remember, for instance, how devastated I was when a streetlight was installed right in front of my childhood home; gone was the beautiful dark. But many of us have control over the lights on our own property. We can leave them off and help provide night creatures what they need.
Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark, by Leigh Ann Henion, Algonquin Books, September 2024.
Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@gmail.com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Pam’s new book, Listening to Nature’s Voice, is now available on Amazon. For more information or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: pamelabaxterbooks.com.
Source: Berkshire mont
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