Sarah Nigbor

Scorching heat. Humidity slapping you in the face like a wet towel. Baseball. Cookouts. Sunburns. Lightning bugs. The symbols of summer.

The other day I overheard a woman say that lightning bugs (aka fireflies) are going extinct. I was horrified. Lightning bugs are one of my favorite things about summer. Earlier this month, I sat on my deck in the dark watching their flashes and flickers dance across the backyard. As a child, like many, I would run through the grass at night trying to catch the magical little creatures. When I was lucky enough to catch one, I’d place it in a little jar (for just a little while) so I could watch it blink back at me. I still feel like a kid when the lightning bugs come out.

I took to my computer to research the claim that lightning bugs are going extinct. I was relieved to find out they are not; however, loss of habitat has played a role in why people may be seeing them less frequently.

According to Virginia Tech entomologist Eric Day, climate and urban development are playing a role in decreasing numbers.

“Fireflies can be seen, depending on location, starting in late April through October, but they are most active in late May and early June,” said Day. “Where you see them all depends on location. Old hay fields near creeks will have normal populations, but highly manicured lawns rarely have fireflies.” 

While all of lightning bugs glow as larvae, not all of them do as adults. According to Southern Living, “Some flash patterns to attract and respond to partners, and to identify their own species. They are capable of lighting up through bioluminescence, which is generated by a chemical reaction in special light-producing organs in their abdomens.”

Increased artificial light, such as streetlights and yard lights on homes, interfere with the insects mating rituals, according to an article by Virginia Tech University. Droughts also threaten their habitat and agricultural pesticides harm their larval stages. The biggest threats to their habitats are commercial and residential development, Day said, as well as changes in climate. They thrive in temperate weather with wet, warm summers and cold winters.

“Rising temperatures and changes in precipitation are impacting their numbers,” Day said.

There are more than 170 species of glowing insects known as Lampyridae in North America. Across the globe, there are more than 2,000 kinds of lightning bugs that have been around for millions of years, according to USA Today. Loss of habitat is forcing the lightning bugs to adapt to different regions.

Another thing I found interesting is that most Midwesterners and Southerners call them lightning bugs, while those living on the West and East coasts are more likely to call them fireflies. They are the same thing. One theory for why has to do with the weather. The Midwest and South see the most lightning in the country, while the West sees the most wildfires.

In any case, whether you call them fireflies or lightning bugs, I would hate to see them cease to exist. We can help these symbols of summer by eliminating harmful pesticides and herbicides and decreasing artificial lights around our homes. Besides, how can you see lightning bugs if your yard light is blaring in your face?