Lightning Bugs
This year again we had fireflies in our garden. It seems fitting to write about fireflies on the first day of September, since they give us something bright to remember as winter approaches.
We called them "lightning bugs" back in Maryland when I was growing up and I still remember how our hands smelled after catching them to light up old Mason jars. Over the years, living mostly in an urban environment, I had forgotten about fireflies until a fair number of them showed up over the last few years bringing along their lanterns, lured by warm weather and a damp garden. They are only around for a very short period. It would be nice to have them during the long, dark nights ahead.
Recently, I am pleased to report, they have been spotted in Brooklyn. I am not so happy to let you know that they are facing some difficulties in Bali, but it was good to learn that they exist in other regions of the world and some steps are being taken to protect them.
While typing this I remembered something about "flocks" of fireflies (I am not sure what collective noun applies) all flashing at the same time. I figured it might be just a rural myth, but Synchronous Fireflies do exist in the Smokies. So many people travel to see them, that getting into Elkmont is almost as difficult as getting into the Masters in Augusta.
Sources:
"When the Fireflies Come Out to Play: For a Few Weeks in the Summer, They Emerge from Underground and Perform Their Aerial Light Show, Hoping to Find Some Action," Hilary Howard, New York Times, Aug.2, 2026.
In Brooklyn, they , noticed the spike in fireflies about three years ago. “And this summer has been no exception..." Fireflies, which are technically beetles, thrive on the resulting rich soil, she said. They spend most of their lives — two years — underground in their larval stage, “so the soil needs to have enough life in it to support them,” she said. By the time they are airborne adults, they are interested only in mating and don’t eat that much, occasionally sipping on water or plant nectars, she said. Recent firefly swarms in the city are somewhat of a mystery. There is no official data to indicate whether the presence of fireflies is increasing..."
The most vulnerable populations in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions tend to live in salt marshes, a rapidly disappearing habitat, Mr. Joyce said. Fireflies have only a few weeks to live after they emerge from the ground. “The males, once they’ve done their duty, that’s the end of their life cycle,” Ms. Rossi said. “The females are going to lay their eggs in the soil again.” Then, it’s lights out.
"A Quest to Restore the Sacred Glow of Fireflies in Bali: The insects, revered in local culture, are disappearing for many reasons, including rapid development to cater to tourists," Mukitita Suhartono, New York Times, Aug. 12, 2026.
"For generations, the soft glow of the lightning bugs was part of the steady rhythm of nightfall in rural Bali. Today, they are fading, driven away by climate change, aggressive land development for tourism, chemical-intensive farming and artificial light that disrupts their mating rituals."
In 2018, after more than a decade of working as a server on cruise ships, Mr. Wardika moved back to Taro, an ancient village about 20 kilometers, or around 12 miles, north of Ubud, Bali. Converting a corner of his family compound he then founded the Firefly Conservation House, Indonesia’s first firefly conservation facility, which melds Balinese tradition with rigorous science.
A team of biologists at the lab conducts research ranging from field mapping and population counts to controlled rearing and breeding. Researchers build small glass terrariums they call honeymoon suites, a microhabitat designed specifically for courtship. Inside they pair lab-reared females with males caught from the wild, which they say ensures optimal breeding results.
The payoff is not quick. While an adult firefly lives for a brief 22 days, growing one from an egg into a mature beetle takes anywhere from six months to nearly two years, depending on the species.
Raising fireflies inside the lab is half the battle. To ensure the fireflies have a safe environment to return to, Mr. Wardika encourages local farmers to switch to regenerative organic agriculture. To cut down on chemical use, Mr. Wardika has given out homemade compost, fruit-fermented fertilizer and natural tobacco-based pesticides.The sanctuary also operates as an eco-tourism destination, which acts as a source of revenue."
Synchronous Fireflies - Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Fireflies of the Smokies
"Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to 19 unique species of fireflies out of over 2,000 species identified worldwide. Among these, the synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus) are particularly famous, known as one of few species with the incredible ability to synchronize their flashing patterns. This mesmerizing display transforms sections of the forest into a flickering spectacle, a true marvel of nature.
Why the synchrony?
"Researchers have investigated the reasons behind this synchronized flashing behavior; however, the synchronous behavior is not yet fully understood. One theory suggests that males flash in unison to elicit a call-and-response interaction from the females. A study found that female fireflies of this species only respond when an adequate amount of flashing is presented to them. Once enough light is generated in the forest, the much dimmer females will respond during the pauses in the males' flashing pattern.
The flash pattern of Photinus carolinus is a remarkable sequence of five to eight distinct flashes, followed by an eight-second pause of darkness, before the cycle repeats. Initially, the flashing may appear random, but as more males join in, their rhythms align, creating a breathtaking display of pulsating light throughout the forest."
