Emily Chan
However, rising temperatures, changes in precipitation, human traffic and urban development are all negatively impacting fireflies.
Throughout America and the rest of the world, open fields are being paved over, forests are being chopped down, and waterways are becoming busier than ever. This loss of habitat is causing firefly numbers to dwindle.
Additionally, the use of pesticides destroys firefly habitat and natural prey. Arguably, the biggest factor in the disappearance of fireflies is light pollution.
Male and female fireflies use their blinking lights to communicate, whether it’s for attracting mates, defending their territory or warning off predators. If you observe them for long enough, you will be able to pick up on their flash pattern.
Human light pollution can disrupt these flash patterns. According to scientists, synchronous fireflies get out of sync for a few minutes after a car’s headlights pass by.
Light from cars, houses, stores, and street lamps can all prevent fireflies from properly communicating with each other, resulting in fewer firefly larvae.
Some experts say that while fireflies are threatened, they are not going extinct, although 18 species are at risk of extinction in the United States. So, what can we do to protect fireflies?
To keep fireflies around, it is recommended that homeowners stop spraying their yards with pesticides, mow their lawns less and let weeds grow.
“The presence of fireflies indicates a diverse habitat, and doing these things is essential to ensuring future generations can enjoy the natural wonder of skies lit up by them,” said Day.
