Madeline Bodin, Smithsonian Magazine | “In the dark of a June evening, standing in the black mud of a New Jersey bog, an hour’s drive from home, Christopher Heckscher was alert to any flicker of light. He is an explorer, though this wilderness lies in one of the most densely populated regions of the United …
Overlooked bioluminescent beetles “I’ve lived in Florida for decades and have never seen fireflies.”“I’ve seen them up north, but never here.”“Fireflies? I don’t think we have fireflies in Florida…” These are common statements I hear when I bring up the topic of fireflies in the Sunshine state. In reality, there are over fifty species of …
Monday, May 1st, 20231:00 PM to 4:30 PM EST Tuesday, May 2nd, 20231:00 PM to 4:30 PM EST Wednesday, May 3rd, 20231:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST The Xerces Society is offering a free, online course on identification of fireflies of the U.S. and Canada. This 3-day course will familiarize participants with North American firefly …
Starting this spring, conservation professionals and volunteers can join a new opportunity to study and protect a beloved group of insects that brings magic to the night: fireflies. The Firefly Atlas invites participants from all backgrounds to look closely at fireflies and to share their sightings to inform conservation. Read the full article: https://www.xerces.org/blog/new-firefly-atlas-will-put-beloved-beetles-on-map.
Are you interested in observing and documenting fireflies, but aren’t sure where to start? Between scientific names, flash pattern measurements, and insect anatomy terms, fireflies can be an overwhelming subject! Read on for some tips on equipment, what to pay attention to, and how to stay safe. Ready to survey for fireflies? Read through the …
On a rainy evening in late May, I find myself squelching through the mud of a floodplain in northeast Georgia, soaking my pants from the wet grass as I get in place for nightfall. Most people would probably avoid going into a marsh at night on an early summer evening, but I am on a …
The loopy five firefly (Photuris forresti) emerged as a favorite firefly of University of Georgia entomology students who spent an evening watching lightning bugs in northeast Georgia. Read the full article, which appeared in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension Newswire.
Welcome to the Firefly Atlas, a collaborative initiative to better understand and conserve the diversity of fireflies in North America! Whether you are a professional biologist, a passionate community scientist, a land manager, an educator, or simply a firefly enthusiast, this site will provide you with resources and opportunities to learn and contribute. While a …
Sarah Bowman, Indianapolis Star | “In North America, there are more than 170 species of Lampyridae, or light-emitting beetles, and there are more than 2,000 types worldwide. And they’ve been around for millions of years. But you may feel as if you are seeing fewer flashes across the night sky compared to when you were …
This is a project of the Xerces Society, working in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Firefly Specialist Group and New Mexico BioPark Society.
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