I have many childhood memories of going to summer outdoor concerts in the city park with my parents and catching fireflies with the rest of the kids in the field around the lake. Fireflies were also common in my backyard, on camping trips, and along the roads in the evening. Now when I see a firefly it is a rare occasion. I still see them in my backyard but not as many and for only a few nights in the summer. I want to bring them back.
Besides being glowy, fireflies have other cool characteristics. First, they are beetles and the only bioluminescent creatures in Missouri. The larval fireflies do not have wings and glow continuously on the ground. A good place to see the glowing larva is along a prairie path after dark. Larva eat snails, slugs, earthworms, and other small things they can get their jaws on. The larva overwinter in the soil and in the spring metamorphose into the adult firefly. The flashing lights of the adults are the mating signal usually from the male in flight to the female on the ground. The different patterns of flashes help the males and females from the same species find each other. Some females mimic the flashing pattern of a different species to lure an unsuspecting male to her and then she eats him.
There are many ways to garden for fireflies. Fireflies are very sensitive to light pollution because they can't see their mates flash pattern. Limit outdoor lights to provide dark areas for firefly courtship. Don't use pesticides. Fireflies are insects and can pick up pesticide residue off the plants they land on and from the soil when they overwinter. Check to see if your neighborhood participates in street spraying for mosquitoes. Ask if the insecticide used is harmful to fireflies. Most streets are sprayed at dusk right when the fireflies are emerging. Leave your garden soil undisturbed during the winter to protect overwintering larva. Fireflies appreciate native plantings as various heights for their courtship displays. Provide water and damp areas in the garden since fireflies are most commonly found near water sources.
To learn more about firefly research visit https://xerces.org/2018/10/01/fireflies/
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