Why You Are Seeing Fewer Fireflies in New York

One of my favorite things to do on a summer night is sit in the yard and watch the fireflies come out. I find it magical how those little bugs can light up the darkness. Little sparks all over the night sky.

Sadly for years now scientists have warned that the firefly population is going down. Back in 2018, we were told that we needed to change things we were doing in order to help the firefly population. The problems continue to persist.

Why You Maybe Seeing Fewer Fireflies

Earlier this year the Farmers Almanac updated their information on the increasing lack of fireflies. I will admit I hadn't noticed that the firefly population is going down but that also could be because I live in an area that is firefly-friendly.

SEE Also: What Happens When a Frog Eats a Firefly

Firefly.org has been talking about the fireflies disappearing for a while and one of the reasons they give is that we have taken over some of the firefly's living space. According to an article from the Farmer's Almanac, fireflies don't like to relocate. Therefore taking their space means their number dwindles.

SEE ALSO: What's With All the Moths in the Hudson Valley

The good news is that there are things we can do. The Farmer's Almanac has listed a few suggestions that I have included below:

• Install water features in your garden.
• Allow logs to rot. Fireflies spend up to 95% of their lives in larval stages. They live in rotting logs, soil/mud/leaf litter and spend from 1-2 years growing until finally pupating to become adults.
• Turn your lights off at night (lights can confuse them when they’re trying to mate).
• Refrain from using lawn chemicals.
• Plant a garden! Gardens are meccas for fireflies, helping to replace lost habitat. They also supply fireflies with lots of food sources. If you have garden snails, slugs, worms, and other insects, fireflies can lend a hand by helping to control these pests. Plus, females need a place to lay eggs and gardens offer an oasis with a source of soil moisture for larval development.
• Plant trees and native grasses.
• Don’t over-mow your lawn.
• Don’t rake leaves and bag them up for the trash. You are raking up firefly larvae and discarding them.

If you are a firefly fan you should also check out the fun facts that the Farmer's Almanac put together about fireflies.

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