Nothing evokes the simple joys of summer like a night sky lit up with fireflies—or lightnin' bugs, as they're often called in the Southeast. And while firefly numbers are sadly dwindling as a result of light pollution, pesticides, and habitat loss, if you're lucky enough to be a spectator of these bioluminescent beetles, you can still catch (and release!) them safely.
“Children should still be allowed to catch and release just like most older people did as children. It is part of the magic,” says Lynn Frierson Faust, a global authority on the subject of fireflies and author of Fireflies, Glow-worms and Lightning Bugs. Lynn herself took a shine to fireflies as a kid. “As a child of the South, I grew up surrounded by lightning bugs, catching them on lazy warm summer nights, releasing them to watch them fly flashing away into the night.”
In the 1990s, she went from simply enjoying them to wanting to learn more—an interest sparked by a very special species (Photinus carolinus) found near her family cabin in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains. (They’re famed for their synchronous flashing lights.) Here, a few tips for maximizing the magic in your neck of the woods.
Perfect your timing.
“Each firefly species has a predictable progression of when they appear in the season in relation to the other species of that area,” says Lynn. Generally speaking, you’ll see the most fireflies across the central and eastern U.S. and Canada in May, June, and early July. Of course, notes Lynn, there are exceptions.
“Most of the U.S. has at least a few active species every month of the year—they might not be noticeable, nor even flash, but they are there. In east Tennessee, we get our first flashing species in March (Spring Treetops, Pyractomena borealis) and see our last flashers right before frost in late October (the late version of Big Dippers, Photinus pyralis).”
Stake out your spot.
Fireflies love dark surroundings, long grasses, and marshy areas near bodies of water. A few suggestions: city, state, local, national parks, wildlife management areas, Nature Conservancy and other conservation areas, cemeteries, old farms with overgrown boundaries, fields. “Even suburban yards or sometimes small grassy areas in urban concrete jungles might have the very hardy Big Dippers,” says Lynn.
Turn off exterior lights.
If you’re hoping for a sighting in your own backyard, be sure to regularly turn off exterior lights around dusk so that your yard is more desirable to these special guests.
Grab a net.
When catching fireflies, consider using a butterfly net to gently contain them before placing them inside your chosen vessel. (Two sets of hands can make this task easier.)
Banish the bug spray.
This is not the time to coat your hands in chemicals, says Lynn. “I urge children—and their parents—to not wear bug spray if handling the firefly at all.”
Prepare your jar.
Containing fireflies in a mason jar is as classic as it gets, and it’s still a tried-and-true tactic. To create a humid environment inside, place a moistened paper towel, a damp unbleached coffee filter, or a slice of an apple in the jar.
Release sooner than later.
Enjoy your makeshift lantern for the evening, but don't keep them cooped up for any longer than that. “I encourage families to enjoy them in a container for a little while and then to release them that same night in the exact place they caught them,” says Lynn. “The life of a firefly is very short. Their chance to find a mate is only days. Release them while they are still strong to find their mate, lay eggs, and assure the next summer will have the magical lights.”
Head to Camp Country Living for more old-school summer activities.
