One of my favorite things to do in the summertime is to watch for fireflies around dusk. You may notice the glow of these incredible fireflies or lightning bugs in your yard, but you wouldn’t believe all the different species of fireflies there are.
There could be 30 different fireflies in the state, each one offering something different in its behavioral pattern and habitat environment. Fireflies are now at risk. Some species that have been around for fifty years may no longer exist. That’s why a project named the Arkansas Firefly Initiative, in partnership with the Arkansas Master Naturalists and the University of Arkansas, has been developed to create a list of fireflies living in the Natural State now.
The goal of the Great Arkansas Firefly Hunt is to develop a complete, up-to-date list of Arkansas firefly species by the end of 2027. This will help scientists learn, study, and understand the habitats and types of fireflies in the region for conservation efforts. Fireflies rely on specific environmental conditions such as humidity, light levels, and availability of certain plant species. When this is destroyed through habitat degradation, it causes fireflies to lose the ability to survive and reproduce.
What Causes a Firefly to Glow and Why?
According to Scientific American, fireflies produce a chemical reaction inside their bodies that allows them to light up. This type of light production is called bioluminescence. The primary reason for this glowing display is to attract mates, and I have to admit there is something magical about these tiny critters.
If you want to see more fireflies GLOW in your yard, there are things you can do to attract them. Lightning bugs have a way of bringing back childhood memories of catching them in a jar and watching them glow…