By Candace Fallon, Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist Whenever someone asks me why I’m visiting southern Arizona in the summer, and I tell them it’s for firefly surveys, they look at me blankly. Fireflies? Here? No way. In the desert? No. East Coast, sure. Midwest, absolutely. But Arizona? Perhaps Arizona is not the first place …
By Richard Joyce, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist As lightning bug season warms up in the more southern parts of the United States, firefly experts and aficionados feel excited, but also a bit frantic. The adult flight period of most firefly species lasts just a matter of weeks, and the phrase that often comes to mind …
By Candace Fallon, Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist Interested in participating in a firefly community science project, but not sure which one to pick? We get it—with several different projects occurring all over the country, it can be tricky to figure out! Firefly Watch used to be the firefly community science project in the US, …
By Kevin Burls, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist It’s no secret that water brings life to the desert. In Nevada, mountain streams and desert springs support plants and animals both common and rare, including insects and other invertebrates. These springs and streams can support diverse insect communities in the middle of what feels like very inhospitable …
While flashing adult fireflies can still be found in a few corners of the country, lightning bug season is mostly over for the year. This season was a dizzying one, with threatened fireflies across a wide geography receiving much needed attention. Several field excursions targeted species with Data Deficient Red List statuses, but this post …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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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