Fireflies and weather: Enjoy them while you can
(WKBN) - Whether you call them lightning bugs or fireflies (yes, they are the same thing), many of us enjoy watching the insects light up the evening and nighttime air. But there are a few reasons why you should enjoy having them around while they are here.
The lightning bug life cycle
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are nearly 170 different species of fireflies in the country. The majority of these species require the same conditions for reproduction. The insects need areas with plenty of moisture since they have small, soft eggs, which dry out easily. For this reason, their eggs are usually laid around plant bases, in other soils, or in moss.
If eggs are dried out in the two weeks it takes for the fireflies to hatch, they are killed, and the population for that year is reduced. Firefly larvae burrow into the ground for a year or two before becoming juveniles and emerging. These are not the adult lightning bugs you are thinking about.
These juveniles are like teenagers who want to eat and grow. During the cold season, they are hidden below the frost level and won't even come close to the surface until spring.
But the time when we see the actual adult insects is very brief, so enjoy them while you can!
The window to see fireflies is brief
When fireflies appear in the course of a year depends on where you are in the country. Naturally, the further south you go, the earlier in the year you can see them. Adult fireflies can emerge as early as March and April in the south.
The glow you see from these insects is their way of attracting a mate. Each species has its own flash pattern.
To produce this light, fireflies use special organs in their abdomens. There, they combine a chemical called luciferin, oxygen, and enzymes called luciferases. Scientists believe these insects control the flashing by regulating how much oxygen goes into the organ that produces the light.
More than just seasonal factors influence when you can see fireflies or how many you see. You won't see them until the weather becomes warm and muggy on a consistent basis, which is why you have probably been noticing more in the past few days!
The mating season for fireflies is a brief window - only two to four weeks, according to Iowa State University researchers.
Other factors influencing firefly population
Firefly numbers have been decreasing in recent decades, according to researchers. Fireflies are suited for quiet, warm, dark places such as forests with a quiet and calm water source close by. Other researchers agree that light pollution and habitat destruction are factors in reduced numbers.
Researchers from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have stated that around 10% of firefly species are vulnerable to extinction. When light pollution is high, it can inhibit male and female fireflies from finding each other and could limit the next generation. The Fish and Wildlife Service jokingly said, "Love can be hard to find for even the brightest of fireflies" in a previous interview with CBS News.
In addition to light pollution affecting firefly habitats and mating, if you want to see more in your yards, be careful how you treat your lawn. Pesticide overuse can impact firefly species. The Fish and Wildlife Service suggests mowing lawns less often or leaving grass slightly taller. They also advise that you can leave a corner of your yard a little taller for a safe space for the insects to inhabit.
It is important to think of this all year long. Especially since you now know that the little guys and gals are underneath your lawns and not just the few short weeks when you can actually enjoy them lighting up your backyards!