Fall is making itself known in many parts of the country—shorter days, cooler nights, and leaves tinged crimson and gold. These same leaves will begin tumbling earthward in the coming weeks, carpeting our yards, parks, and walkways with nature’s crinkliest confetti. What is leaf litter? Leaf litter is the layer of organic matter—including fallen twigs, …
Fireflies are often associated with warm summer nights, lighting up backyards and fields, yet many species are habitat specialists found in wetland or forest habitats. Some firefly species–particularly the specialists–are experiencing declines due to a variety of threats including habitat loss, light pollution, climate change, and pesticide exposure. While we know there are varying degrees …
Within insects, pollinators often seem to get VIP treatment. Bees in particular get heralded for their role in helping plants set seed, produce fruit, and reproduce. While beetles aren’t usually the first group of insects to come to mind as pollinators, they actually have a long history in this role, with fossil records indicating that …
Candace Fallon, Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist It’s a couple hours before sunset, and I’m zigzagging back and forth across a wide sandy trail behind my friend Becca, scanning the rocks and plants on either side for insects. Tiny checkerspot butterflies flit by. Common side-blotched lizards scamper across boulders, blue scales glinting in the light. …
Candace Fallon, Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist The Golden State: land of sunshine, milk and honey, and… fireflies? Yes! But probably not the kind you’re picturing. When most people think of fireflies, they imagine warm summer nights filled with blinking lights. While that’s true in many parts of the country, including several western states like …
Richard Joyce, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist By the Numbers This year, Firefly Atlas participants submitted data from 857 surveys and incidental observations. There were 304 full surveys, which included both species-specific surveys targeting 32 different species and open-ended surveys, where surveyors simply went out to see what types of fireflies they could find. In total, …
With the fall equinox just behind us, the adult firefly season has come to an end across most of the US and Canada. However, that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to fireflies just yet! Fall is an ideal time to look for an entirely different stage of the firefly life cycle—the larvae. This …
How do we protect firefly populations while also achieving other ecological goals on the landscape? This is a question that land managers grapple with when figuring out how to maintain the wildlife habitats they steward. Prescribed fire, also known as controlled burns or cultural fire, is the intentional use of fire to sustain or regenerate …
Are you in training to become a Master Naturalist, or looking for a new project to undertake as part of your annual certification requirements? Many Master Naturalist programs require 30-40 hours of volunteer work each year. We might be biased, but we think participating in the Firefly Atlas and related conservation efforts is an excellent …
Firefly researchers (professionals and community scientists alike) often find themselves on a steep learning curve when gathering data on firefly species, especially when they are using methods that don’t involve collecting specimens. This post breaks down some of the ways to ensure that the data you are collecting is as useful as possible for species, …
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