Fireflies

When I was very young and visiting my grandparents in New Jersey, I witnessed fireflies for the first time. I might have called them lightning bugs because that name sounded more exciting, but either way, upon seeing that first FLASH I was mesmerized. These unique insects gifted quick rhythmic bursts of heatless light. The warm summer night filled with tiny fireworks. Obviously, I had never seen fireflies before, and not because I was young, but because I lived on the West Coast and we didn’t have them.

I remember my grandparent’s muggy, dimly lit small backyard, bordered by a chain link fence and with stained and cracked concrete. Heat rash burned and itched my skin but I didn’t care as soon as my grandma handed me and my sister two empty canning jars with small holes poked in their metal lids. My grandma must have shown us how to carefully catch fireflies because somehow, I did. I caught one, maybe two. Actually, scratch that, I caught…magic. A magic that seemed unreal. Magic that I am sure no adults explained or could explain at the time. And maybe I wanted an explanation but probably didn’t because I was too young to understand the science or care to learn why. I probably just assumed that tiny flashlights were strapped to these bug’s backs so they could see better in the night. A good enough reason for a six-year-old.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s better for young kids not to know the exact reasoning behind why things happen so that their imagination can have free reign and not be restricted by data and facts and findings. Instead of telling them the answer, consider asking them: what do you think? 

And I do remember asking myself the biggest and most pressing question that night in my grandparents’ backyard. Why the heck didn’t we have these flashing insects where I lived? Was sunny California not good enough for them? Did they not like mild winters and sunny beaches? Only until recently as I was writing this that this question came into my head again and being a curious bird and a perennial student, I did a little digging.

Turns out, fireflies live all around the world, except for Antarctica. In the U.S., they like the warm and humid states which are generally found east of the Rocky Mountains. According to the National Museum of Natural History, some firefly species can be found farther west, but unfortunately their glow is almost undetectable to the human eye. Among Eastern species, the males flash while flying to attract females, and out West it’s the adult females that glow, but only flash while they’re on the ground and it’s so faint that it’s barely detectable to a human eye. Also I learned that many of our western species are active during the day, and potentially communicate with pheromones instead of light. Bummer for us.

Adding to the unfortunate events, I haven’t seen a firefly since that childhood night. I know I visited my grandma multiple times, but I don’t remember catching fireflies again. Maybe we never visited in the summer (read: too hot and muggy for my dad). But I do know that seeing fireflies once more is on my bucket list for sure. And I want to see them with my son. I want to make sure that he gets to witness this summer miracle before they are too hard to find. Or they tragically go extinct.

I also know that when I do see them and catch one and stare past through the darkness into their light that I will uncontrollably start crying. I will cry because I miss my grandparents. I will cry because I miss childhood. And I will cry because nature is so fucking amazing that I can’t stand it sometimes.

My husband will inevitably say, “Well, it’s good then that we don’t have fireflies in Mill Valley because you already cry enough. And his assumption would be correct. Even as I write this, tears push against the backs of my eyes creating prisms in my watery lashes. Fireflies, I promise we will meet again.  

Some Enlightening Firefly Facts:

·      If you have fireflies where you live, then I am super jealous.

·      Fireflies have been glowing for at least 100 million years.

·      Luckily, fireflies don’t bite or sting or eat your crops or destroy your garden.

·      Like other bioluminescence species, the firefly light happens because of a combo of oxygen and another chemical called luciferins (a light-emitting biological pigment). The science: The light comes from an organ under the abdomen where oxygen reacts with luciferin in the presence of an enzyme called luciferase to emit photons (elementary particles of light). The word ‘luciferin’ comes from the Latin words luc meaning light, and fer meaning carry or bring. Yeah, I like the tiny flashlight idea way better.

·      More crazy science stuff: The chemical reaction starts when oxygen enters through transporting tubes and is then stored in their mitochondria (part of biological cells where energy production occurs.) A nifty firefly can then quickly release this stored energy by producing nitride oxide. On the flip side, the firefly can end the chemical reaction by shutting of the oxygen. This is like their on/off button.

·      Despite the name, fireflies are not flies. Instead they are classified under Lampyridae, a family of insects within the beetle order Coleoptera, or winged beetles. So, even though people also call them lightning bugs, they aren’t bugs either.    

·      Fireflies emit light mainly to signal to the opposite sex that they are ready to mate. The males flash to females, and the females answer back. Apparently though, they also communicate for other reasons, maybe to place their Starbucks order but more so to send a warning to their friends.

·      Each species of firefly has its own flash pattern to avoid taboo inter-species breeding.

·      Firefly lights are the most efficient lights in the world. Turns out that 100% of the energy is emitted as light.

·      Because no heat is produced, scientists refer to firefly lights as “cold lights.”

·      Fireflies love warm, humid areas and come out in the summertime. Florida and Georgia are the most species-rich states, containing more than fifty species each.

·      Certain species of frogs have been known to gorge on so many fireflies that they themselves start glowing. I imagine unlucky fireflies flashing a final SOS from inside the frog’s throat.   

·      Fireflies contain toxins that can be poisonous to lizards, amphibians, and potentially other animals, including birds. Sorry glutinous frog.

·      At dusk, you can carefully catch fireflies using a butterfly net then place the fireflies into a clear jar with a lid that's been pierced to let in air. You should also place a moistened paper towel inside to keep the air in the jar humid.

·      Once you have a jar of fireflies, let them go after a day. Release them at night when they're most active and able to avoid predators.

·      Apparently, firefly numbers are decreasing. This is not surprising as climate change and associated droughts along with habitat loss is a serious and pervasive problem. The IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) estimates that 14% of firefly species are either threatened or endangered of extinction. 18 species are at risk of extinction in the U.S. and Canada. So, what can we all do to help these bright beetles? Well, it’s more the case of what we should not be doing. If you live where fireflies are present, avoid destructive habits such as mowing down their wild daytime refuges, removing their critical egg-laying sites, and of course spraying toxic herbicides and pesticides that can poison fireflies, food and water sources, and other creatures (including people).

·      The firefly is often referred to as an indicator or “Umbrella Species", which means that the presence of fireflies in a habitat indicates a healthy and balanced environment. Turns out that other plants and animals will also thrive in their environment, so what's good for fireflies is probably good for everyone. 

What you can do in your garden to help fireflies:

·      Take cover. During the day, adult fireflies need cover and shade from sun and the heat.  This means mow less often and when you do mow cut at a higher mower height. Also, let more areas on your property or in your garden grow wild, plus plant indigenous plants to provide cover, especially in areas near water.

·      Respect dead wood. During their larval and pupal stages, fireflies live underground and eat soft-bodied invertebrates that help break down organic matter in the soil, such as slugs, snails, and earthworms.

·      Leave the leaves. Despite how much you want to clean up, don’t. Fallen leaves are not only habitats for birds, frogs and bees but they’re also great firefly nesting sites. Leaves also help the ground stay moist which is critical to most fireflies (larvae and females are especially prone to drying out).

·      Nurture native plants. Research what plants grow naturally in your area and instead of adding a water-hogging lawn, plant a native meadow that will attract fireflies and important pollinators. Fireflies like damp spots and long grasses.

·      Lay off on the lights. Along with climate change and habitat loss, light pollution is another top threat to fireflies along with nocturnal creatures and migrating birds. Too much light makes it harder for fireflies to see the flashes from potential mates. Bring back the night by turning your outdoor lights off when you don’t need them or using timers or motion-detecting lights.