I'm in Santa Barbara-Goleta this week and next...but...yes, there are fireflies....and I think cicadas rather than crickets...or different crickets. We have only used the A.C. about 2 days...we just bought a larger house than we need because heartland wife (and I) liked it and the cost is so low that it is hard to not buy a large house if you want any equity. So, my liberal heart has to make up for it by limiting AC. I think a small house and AC may have made more sense. But, it ha not been hotter than about 92 deg, the downstairs is cool, and yesterday was low 80s and dry. The average temp for July 5 or so is 88. We were told it would be 110: not true. But, the extremes are more than the NE...cold is like -15 to -10 F, and max heat is 112-115 (but not since 1984).

I manage to spend a fair amount of the summer in Santa Barbara and Rhode Island....
Chris