Fireflies Or Lightning Bugs: Either Way We’re Seeing Less Of Them And Here’s Why
Its a summer night. The sun is setting. Then, you see it. The neon glow. It’s a lightning bug? Or is it a firefly? Whatever you call them, fireflies or lightning bugs: we’re seeing less of them than we have in the past.
Fireflies or Lightning Bugs
These summer night magical bugs are the same insect, and are actually beetles. They like the moisture so they tend to come around more after it’s rained or in late spring/ early summer.
They feed on snails, slugs and insect larvae.
The glow comes from a mix of oxygen with a pigment called luciferin. They use their lights to ward of predators.
Are Fireflies Going Extinct?
If you have been out looking for these pretty green lit bugs this season and you haven’t seen as many as usual, there is an explanation.
Yes, they are on the decline and it’s mostly because we’ve taken over their habitat. Due to light pollution and development of areas you may find them in, fireflies or lightning bugs don’t relocate. They will simply disappear.
So if you’ve noticed in a newer neighborhood where maybe the houses were recently built, you might have also noticed that there aren’t nearly as many lightning bugs as you used to see growing up.
The more development that takes place, the less marshlands we will see, resulting in a severe decrease of fireflies in our area.
