For many adults, just the mention of the word fireflies brings happy and carefree memories of childhood (they were Lightnin’ Bugs where I grew up in Texas). I remember grabbing glass jars and racing around my cousin’s neighborhood at night trying to catch the blinky, flying bugs. We didn’t catch many, but it seemed like there were a lot more to chase than there are now.
We have lived in several places where our older children have been able to have the thrill of the chase like I did – running (and sweating) with their friends, on hot summer nights, in the backyard catching fireflies. The few we caught let us study the on and off blinking before releasing them back to the wild.
My daughter was hoping for her children to experience the same thing in our North Carolina back yard. She asked if I could order some fireflies to release and enjoy with the grandchildren. It seemed like a great idea to me. After all, we have purchased ladybugs and praying mantis to devour all the bad bugs in our Victory Garden. Why not bring in fireflies to enjoy?
I quickly found out why not. If you could find fireflies to purchase (I couldn’t), when released, they probably wouldn’t stay in your yard. Our best bet to enjoy their fantastic light show is to find a meadow or pasture near standing water where there is little (or no) artificial lighting during the June or July nights.
Why we don’t see many fireflies these days
For decades our country has been moving from a rural to an urban society. Our community buildings, shopping centers and subdivisions have negatively impacted these delightful creatures’ once-healthy habitats. With so much commercial and housing development comes street lights, neon lights, and lights on cars and homes along with a lot of human traffic. It seems that all these probably contribute to the demise of these unique bugs.
But it’s not all doom and gloom – there’s plenty we can do to help increase their population!
Attracting fireflies to my Victory Garden
I did find out how I can attract fireflies (which are beetles, not flies) – including something my husband will love – letting our lawn grow! The National Gardening Association explains that fireflies like to hang out in tall grasses and shrubbery, and even if you allow the grass to grow only around the edges, it will help.
Another thing to attract lightening bugs is to turn off porch lights and other outdoor lighting. I learned that females wait in the tall grass and shrubbery for the males flying around in the yard to light up, signifying they are ready to mate. The lighting around the house disturbs the mating behavior. Artificial light produced by humans disrupts how they synchronize their flashing, and it is believed results in less mating and fewer fireflies. (My daughter and I noticed that even her cell phone light at night would cause the males to light up –which was kind of fun but not recommended!)
I have also used this natural recipe to attract beneficial (and fun) bugs to my yard by making up a concoction of sugar, water and yeast. Put this sugar water mixture in a spray bottle and spray it on your plants-super easy! The recipe is 10 parts water to one part sugar with one part brewer’s yeast or whey yeast added. (Side note: Once, I made this mixture with less water so it was thick enough to put on popsicle sticks and stuck them in my garden. I had to move them all to my raised beds because the dogs licked off all mixture! Thankfully, this is safe for insects, animals, and people.)
Of course, there are specific plants that do a fantastic job of bringing in the beneficial bugs. Planting yarrow, sweet alyssum, marigold, cosmos, nasturtium, early cabbage, and several different herbs like mint, oregano, lemon balm and thyme will do double duty for eating and bug bringing. Be sure to include some type of shallow plate with a layer of small rocks or pebbles to keep water in. This entices the good bugs to stay and gives your guests a place to drink.
Not only can we do the things mentioned above to attract fireflies, but we can help with a project called Firefly Watch. It’s a citizen science project developed by Mass Audubon and Tufts University scientists. They are studying how habitat loss, light pollution, and pesticide use impact these enchanting creatures. To learn more go to www.massaudubon.org/get-involved/citizen-science/firefly-watch.
The few we do see this summer in our yard is probably because of the small pond we have near our Victory Garden. Fireflies are attracted to standing water, even puddles and marsh-like areas. If you want to have a water feature but are concerned about mosquitoes, you can use Microbe-Lift/BMC. It will destroy mosquito larvae but not your fireflies.
I’m enjoying more time in my yard since travel has been restricted. My children and grandchildren think it’s fun to do some of the “old timey” things I did as a child. We are revisiting board games, cooking at home, and slowing down just to visit. Time well spent in my opinion. Even if you only have a tiny space, I highly recommend putting some seeds in the soil and turning down the nighttime lights.
Good company, gardening, fireflies, and hot summer evenings sounds like the perfect combination for a wonderful summer night! (Don’t forget the ice cream!)
Happy Planting!
DeeAnn
The Victory Garden Gal