Fireflies in Colorado?
Aren’t they a Midwest thing?
Not only does Colorado have fireflies but the state also boasts an emerging program that is breeding these bioluminescence beauties of the beetle world.
And, yes, there is even a World Firefly Day — July 2 — to honor these iconic insects that have mesmerized many while playing in backyards.
“Fireflies are so magical; they capture people’s hearts,” Cori Brant, entomology manager at the Butterfly Pavilion, told the Coloradoan on Monday. “They remind people of mythology and fairies. Seeing them in backyards is nostalgic. They are charismatic and the silliest looking things, with big eyes, but are so cute.”
Butterfly Pavilion’s groundbreaking work and how Fort Collins has played a major role
Conservation organizations have raised endangered animals such as rhinos and condors in captivity to help wild populations.
Since 2017, the Butterfly Pavilion’s groundbreaking Firefly Life Cycle Project has done similar work with much smaller creatures: fireflies.