Fireflies used to light up the summer, but now habitat loss, pesticides and light pollution threaten lightning bugs with ...

Fireflies, or Lampyridae to use the Latin name for the light-emitting family of beetles, are common in populated areas of North America. Each luminous species emits a unique repertoire of signals.

What is known: Fears of fireflies' imminent demise are misplaced, Day said. “I would say fireflies are threatened due to habitat loss, but they are not going extinct, as some are adapting in different ...

Crowdsourcing can be difficult, because while Michigan is home to 24 different types of fireflies, only 17 of them produce a visible glow at night to attract mates and ward off predators.

It would not be summer in New Jersey without fireflies. However, they are facing numerous threats. A look at our local lightning bug population.

Her friend, Aoife Dilday, also 11-years-old, says she’s learning a lot about fireflies. “I didn’t know there were so many types of fireflies. I thought there was just a firefly,” Dilday says.

Rainy, damp weather along the eastern United States in summer 2025 has one upside: Fireflies love it. "Fireflies and their prey (snails, slugs, worms) need moisture, so years with high rainfall ...