Fireflies will soon light up Chicago nights — but their future is flickering

Fireflies will soon light up Chicago nights — but their future is flickering

Fireworks will be filling the skies over the Chicago area this week, but Mother Nature is providing a pretty spectacular show as well with the emergence of fireflies this summer.

CHICAGO - Fireworks will be filling the skies over the Chicago area this week, but Mother Nature is providing a pretty spectacular show as well with the emergence of fireflies this summer.

However, scientists warn that overall, the firefly population could be flickering.

What we know:

Allen Lawrance, curator of entemology at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park, said there's a reason fireflies are so popular, especially among children. 

"I mean, they glow. They’re bioluminescent. They’re found throughout the eastern United States. So so many people interact with them," said Lawrance.

Indeed, it wouldn’t feel like summer without fireflies. But nationwide, entomologists say some species of the beloved luminescent beetle are in decline. 

"They’re finding a significant portion of them either are vulnerable or threatened, due to a series of issues," said Lawrance. "Namely habitat loss and degradation, pesticide use, climate change and light pollution."

Here in the Chicago area there appears to be a bumper crop this year thanks to a wet spring. What you see glowing is most likely the Common Eastern Firefly, also known as the big dipper, because of the patterns they fly to attract a mate.

But there are 26 firefly species in Illinois, and some are struggling. 

"We only have so many fireflies. We can’t lose them all," said Lawrance. "And this is also a spectacular phenomenon. If we don’t have these in Illinois, we are not going to see any glowing insects. They really are quite special."

The firefly larvae live in grassy or leafy areas for up to two years before they hatch and turn on the lights. Then they mate, lay eggs and die in just a matter of weeks.

A community science website called Firefly Atlas allows firefly fanatics to track and count the fireflies in their yard, then report the results to a nationwide database that will be used to assess the health of the species.

But Lawrance said there are things that all of us can do to help protect the firefly. 

"So really easily you can limit your use of pesticides. You can try to plant a native garden or any garden," said Lawrance. "You can leave your leaves in the fall. Don’t rake them all up or mulch them in place with the mower. And lastly, limit light pollution."