Fireflies (lightning bugs)

[Anonymous]

I love sitting and watching the fireflies (lightning bugs) flashing in my yard. I'd love to duplicate this in my garden railroad. I know there are expensive systems I can buy that will do this but I'm too cheap. Does anyone have a suggestion how I can do this relatively inexpensively? Thanks

[icepuck]

Interesting idea. Have a look at the tech forum on http://www.nutsvolts.com/ someone there may be able to help out. Yast year(I think) they had an L.E.D. candle project that was designed to flicker just like the real thing, but without the fire hazard. It may be possible this project could be modified to do what you want.  

 

[Rex in Pinetop]

How about some of those blinking minature Christmas lights?  If you put multiple flashers on a string you could get them blinking all over the yard.  Just an idea...

Rex 

[Anonymous]

fiber optic.

[ttrigg]

1.  Radio Shack used to have blinking some LED's.  Take a few of those and "under power" them to slow down the blinking.

2.  Look at some N-Scale supplies.  I have a set of "road construction warning posts" with flashing amber lights.   something like this

3.  At Halloween/Christmas Michaels has cross bucks with flashing linghts that run on a pair of AA batteries or optional power supply.  Just rip it apart (the one I have had white LED behind red lens.)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions. I checked out nutsvolts.com - they are way over my head. I'm more the level of the Christmas lights or one of the others. Again thanks

[pimanjc]

Real fireflys are all over my outdoor layout.

JimC.

[Rob F]

These folks make some convincingly real looking LED firefly kits.

http://www.entomon.net/twilight-firefly-insect-lighting-effect-fireflies.htm