Where I reside in California, I’ve never had the opportunity to see a firefly in person. However, from what I know about them from storybooks, movies, cartoons, and images, they’re pretty magical. They way they illuminate in the night and dance around the sky in unison has got to be one of the most captivating and relaxing experiences known to man.
Unfortunately, conservationists are concerned about the future existence of the flying insects. Although it is not yet known how many fireflies are still available at this time, what researchers do know is that their number is noticeably plunging.
The reason their population is decreasing? According to Firefly Conservation and Research, there are a few culprits that might help explain their disappearance: 1) their habitats are being removed by humans for urban expansion, 2) there is an increased use of pesticides in the environment, killing offer innocent firefly populations, and 3) urban light pollution is disturbing lightning bugs’ ability to chemically illuminate their bodies.
Scientists are hoping to encourage policymakers to possibly step in whether it be by helping to legally preserve the habitats of fireflies or by finding a solution to the evergrowing light pollution problem we have today. Regardless of what is done to aid the possibly near-extinct critters, one thing is certain: it’s an alarming and devastating situation.
If you grew up with lightning bugs, hearing about their possible extinction probably struck a chord with you. After hearing about the upsetting news, many folks were flooded with precious memories.
“We had a farm in the country that we sold last year, every summer evening for 2-3 weeks the back fields were covered in lightning bugs that made it sparkle & was really great to see,” one commenter on the following video reminisces.
“Lightning bugs were like a staple of my childhood. Was wondering why I didn’t see many anymore anywhere! Trying to explain this to my grandson, couldn’t get him interested much because there really wasn’t much to see. Sad,” said another commenter.
The surreal firefly experiences the latter commenters got to indulge in were so treasured, but younger generations may never get to have the opportunity to witness the bugs’ light show in person. That said, if seeing fireflies has been on your bucket list, but you don’t live where many (or any) reside, you may want to consider traveling to a region dotted with firefly-friendly habitats soon.
Check out the video below to learn more about fireflies and their possible future extinction.
