Are You Ready to Say Goodbye to Fireflies? You Can Help Them Shine!

Many of us have childhood memories of seeing a firefly light show in our backyards. We chased the magical, mysterious blinking lights with a net in hand and added our tiny treasures to a glass jar. We closed the lid and observed the twinkling creatures up close.

There are more than 2,000 species of fireflies worldwide, including about 165 documented in the U.S. and Canada. Some species are threatened with extinction due to increased light pollution (even light from a flashlight can impact them), habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change.

Thankfully, all around us, organic farmers, gardeners and homeowners are doing their part to create beneficial habitats for fireflies and other insects to survive. No matter where you live, you can help protect these magical wonders.

What Makes a Good Habitat for Fireflies?

A firefly, or lightning bug depending on your preference, is the common name for nocturnal luminous insects that are neither flies nor bugs, but beetles. Despite their name, not all lightning bugs glow.

Fireflies need five main things to thrive: food, shelter, moisture, dark nights and protection from pesticides.

Candace Fallon, a senior conservation biologist at the Xerces Society, offers advice on supporting firefly populations. By diversifying your garden with native plants and embracing a bit of wilderness, you can create a welcoming habitat for these enchanting insects. For example, you can allow grass to grow longer or keep leaf litter and fallen branches on the ground.

Organic farmers also create ideal organic ecosystems for fireflies and other insects. They do this by supporting diverse habitats with birds, insects and other pollinators. Diverse plants and trees help retain moisture and ensure firefly food sources are available.

Science shows that organic farms have 30% more biodiversity. When on an organic pasture, worms and beneficial insects like bees, beetles and butterflies are safe from toxic chemicals.

Organic dairy farmers are also soil farmers. They grow a healthy pasture ecosystem with roots beneath the surface. The soil ultimately grows those healthy forages, which in turn support healthy cows and quality milk production. Read more about how our farmers are passionate about soil health — the perfect habitat for our little fireflies to thrive!

On one Organic Valley dairy farm in Wisconsin, Joel and Katie Winnes love summer when fireflies return to their favorite habitat — the organic farm. They home-school their four children, ages 2 to 9, and use farm life for school projects. They count cows in the milking parlor and learn what makes fireflies light up.

“The kids love searching for fireflies in the tall grasses near the pond,” Joel said. “Our dark night skies make for perfect summertime viewing.”

Why Do Fireflies Light Up?

Some fireflies are bioluminescent, a rare feature in living organisms that allows them to light up. This trait is common among sea creatures, but it’s rare for insects on land, except for fireflies and some millipedes and earthworms.

Fireflies produce light using a chemical reaction in an organ at the end of their abdomens, said Orit Peleg, a professor at University of Colorado Boulder.

Larvae use the light as a warning display to ward off potential predators. These insects taste bitter to predators, so they avoid eating them. Adults use the light to signal each other and attract mates.

Most of the fireflies we see are males, with about 50 males for every female. The males fly around and flash to attract females, who typically flash from the tall grass. Each species has its own flashing pattern and color, which helps scientists distinguish between species.

Where Are Fireflies Found in North America?

Fireflies are found all around the world, except for Antarctica. In North America, they prefer warm and humid areas and are generally found east of the Rocky Mountains.

Below are a few regions to be on the lookout for fireflies. You can even join a firefly watch by submitting your own firefly sightings here.

• Northeast: Approximately 15 species of lightning bugs live in New England. Like many regions, firefly populations appear to be waning here, likely due to habitat loss, confusion from light pollution and pesticide use.
• Mid-Atlantic and Southeast: One of the best places in the country to see fireflies is the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. It’s dark enough that the glowing insects can be easily spotted between May and June.
• Florida: A bit further south, Blue Spring State Park has become a haven for fireflies because of the hot and humid weather. At night, visitors can get a special pass to view lightning bugs.
• Midwest: In this region, fireflies are often called lightning bugs, and they love the warm, temperate and humid climate. They also love water like rivers, marshes, swamps and small ponds often found in Midwestern states.
• West: Out West, the adult females glow, but only while they’re on the ground, and very faintly — so faintly their glow is hardly detectable even to a human eye fully adapted to the dark.

The Western Firefly Project has confirmed new populations of fireflies in Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado. View a map of recorded firefly sightings.

What Do Fireflies Eat?

Some scientists think that firefly larvae feed on prey from that of adult fireflies. The young larvae are believed to be carnivorous, living off smaller insects, snails, slugs and especially mosquito larvae in some ecosystems.

Adult fireflies usually live off nectar and pollen, and some don’t feed at all. Their short life span is only a few months and is often spent looking for a mate.

Why Are Fireflies Important?

Fireflies are a part of our natural and cultural heritage, and they play important roles in the ecosystem as predators of other soft-bodied invertebrates.

“Their existence has enchanted humans for centuries, inspiring countless examples of art and literature,” Fallon said.

The larval stage is the most beneficial. The larvae are active at night, usually on the soil surface or under vegetation, so are often overlooked. However, many are bioluminescent and therefore called glowworms. Research into their bioluminescence has yielded advances in science, medicine and food safety. In agriculture and garden settings, firefly larvae can provide important biocontrol services since most species eat a steady diet of snails, slugs and worms.

Thelma Heidel-Baker, an Organic Valley dairy farmer and a beneficial insect specialist, grew up chasing fireflies on her family’s dairy farm in Wisconsin. Now, every summer, her two children continue the tradition, each with a net in hand.

She sees how important it is to advocate for insects and create more biodiversity on the farm.

“It’s not just about the songbirds we see and hear, but all of the insects. If we want birds, we need to have caterpillars and bees, too,” she said.

Because fireflies are sensitive to water and light pollution and pesticide use, their presence can indicate healthy ecosystems. Protecting them can help ensure their habitats are safe for other plants and animals

“Something is going right in your backyard or on our farm when we see fireflies (and other insects). They need the right conditions to survive,” Heidel-Baker said. “Why do we need diversity? In the end, it matters to all creatures. We need to support everything on the farm in a holistic way with good practices. Being aware that insects are there is the first step in creating a healthy habitat.”

Are We in Danger of Losing Fireflies?

What will happen if fireflies disappear from our ecosystem and our summer firefly viewing? According to the Xerces Society and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of threatened species, several firefly species are at risk. IUCN examined 128 species and determined that 11% were threatened with extinction, and 2% were near threatened.

The Red List is an indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. It is also a powerful tool to raise awareness for biodiversity conservation and policy change.

Global Threats to Fireflies

Habitat Loss and Degradation: According to The Nature Conservancy, development may drive fireflies away. As more forests and open fields are paved over, fireflies lose their natural habitat. The fireflies don’t migrate to another field, they just disappear forever.

Pesticide Use: Since fireflies spend up to two years living below ground as larvae eating snails and slugs, the health of the soil is very important. Pesticides soak into the earth disrupting the firefly habitat.

Light Pollution: Too much light interferes with fireflies’ mating rituals. Since most fireflies are active at dusk or after dark and use their lanterns to attract mates, too much light makes it hard for the males and females to find each other. Less mating means fewer fireflies to enjoy.

Climate change: Human-caused climate change is leading to more frequent and destructive storms and wildfires, widespread drought, rising sea levels and changes in temperatures and precipitation patterns. All of these can have detrimental impacts on fireflies by reducing, degrading or eliminating the habitats they depend upon.

While the known and predicted impacts of climate change on firefly populations are still under study, scientists around the world agree that a changing climate is likely to have negative impacts on fireflies, especially those with restricted ranges or specialized habitat requirements.

Protecting Fireflies

There are several things you can do to provide the best habitat for fireflies — even if it’s simply dimming the lights. According to the experts, you can:

Add a water feature like a water garden to your landscape. Firefly larvae like damp soil and fireflies love moisture.

Allow low-hanging branches to remain on trees and shrubs. Lightning bugs like to hang out on branches and they use shrubs for daytime shelter.

Cut back on mowing. Along with branches, fireflies like to crawl on tall grasses to broadcast their flashing signals.

Turn off the lights during the short firefly mating season. Turn off porch lights and close curtains to reduce light. You can also reduce impact by using timers, motion sensors or red-light filters.

Reduce toxic chemicals. Because fireflies are beetles, they are sensitive to fertilizer and pesticides used to treat lawn grubs and other insects. Herbicides may also degrade their habitat. Reduce or avoid using lawn fertilizers and other chemicals.

Let logs rot. Fireflies spend 95% of their lives in larval stages in rotting logs, soil, mud or leaf litter. They spend one to two years growing until they finally become adults.

Plant a garden. Gardens are meccas for fireflies, helping to replace lost habitat and control pests. They also supply fireflies with many food sources, from slugs and snails to worms and other insects. Plus, females need a place to lay eggs, and gardens offer an oasis with a source of soil moisture for larval development. Planting trees and native grasses is also beneficial to fireflies (and numerous other critters).

Be gentle. It’s fun to catch fireflies, but remember that if you do catch a lightning bug, keep it in a jar with a loose lid for no more than 15 minutes before setting it free.

Get certified through the Firefly Habitat Certificate Program through Firefly Conservation and Research: https://www.firefly.org/certify

Fireflies Do the ‘Wave’ in National Parks

What does it look like when fireflies flash in unison? Think of standing in a stadium where people are waving their phone lights high in the air. Every year, for a few weeks in the spring, some National Parks in the Southern U.S. host synchronous firefly viewings when the fireflies search for a mate.

Congaree National Park in South Carolina: With only three species of synchronous fireflies in the U.S., this viewing event (May 16-25) draws thousands of visitors to watch this awe-inspiring light show. Reservations are available by lottery here. Congaree is one of only a few natural areas where the specific habitat and conditions are perfect for this natural wonder to occur.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park features the Photinus carolinus species, which performs a mating dance once a year. There is so much interest in viewing this spectacular display that the park also holds a “viewing lottery,” to ensure everyone who wants a ticket has an equal chance of getting one. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is free of light pollution and pesticides, has one of the densest populations of this species in the U.S., along with 18 other types of fireflies.

Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania hosts the PA Firefly Festival in June when the fireflies gather for an extraordinary light show. Scientists have verified 15 species of fireflies in the area and these lightning bugs’ mating rituals create a spectacular show.

Let Fireflies Continue To Be a Sparkle in Our Lives

Heidel-Baker recalls summer evenings on the front porch of her organic farm watching the fireflies and bats fly across the night sky.

“I believe the fireflies will survive, but we need to create healthier habitats for all animals and insects,” she said.

Something has to change, or these illuminating beauties could stop bringing joy to our eyes and lighting up the night. Like you, many Organic Valley farmers are in awe of these glowing beetles and do what they can to protect species. We all want generations to experience the childhood magic of fireflies.