Long Live the Fireflies!
Fireflies are part of the magic of summer.
Fireflies populations around the World - and in Franklin Park - are in decline. Long-time residents recall when the twinkle of fireflies lit up the trees like Christmas lights. We still have the pleasure of this summertime sight in many yards around Franklin Park, but the density of flashes has reportedly decreased.
Scientists believe that the causes of firefly decline are light pollution, habitat loss, and toxic chemicals. The good news is that easy steps and a ‘dark sky’ approach in your yard can save fireflies and increase their population. Here’s how!
Go dark! Do an audit of the light in your yard. Small things make a difference. Block interior light from escaping at night by closing your blinds or curtains, use timers or motion detectors to switch lights on and off, or install shielding on outdoor lights to focus it where most needed (on walkways instead of up into the trees or night sky, for instance). These steps reduce artificial light that confuses or discourages fireflies and drowns out the flashes they use for communication and to find a mate. This Firefly Friendly guide from the Xerces Society will be helpful.
Go wild! Create a firefly sanctuary in your yard by setting aside a small area for raked leaves, water them down, and let them stay through the winter and into next year. Fireflies (and other useful critters) will use that area for habitat. Overwintering birds will find this useful, too. Another effective action is to plant trees where you have few or none. Where you already have areas with shrubs or woodland, you can simply leave the leaves where they fall, rather than removing them or blowing them away. For information on discounted native trees for your yard, contact the Committee to Re-Forest the Forest at ufa.mclean@gmail.com.
Go natural! Don’t use pesticides in your yard or garden. Pesticides applied to treat grubs or spray for mosquitoes can degrade habitat and harm or kill fireflies and their prey. Remember that all pesticides, including natural or synthetic insecticides, are designed to kill! Very few, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (BT-Centers for Disease Control), have been developed to be specifically targeted. The chemicals commonly used by mosquito spraying companies harm beneficial insects, and can have a negative impact on aquatic organisms, animals (including pets), and people (National Wildlife Federation). To control mosquitoes, make a larva trap (Larva Trap-AudubonVA) and place these traps no more than 300 feet apart in the areas where control is desired. Another option to keep mosquitoes at bay is use of a fan (oscillating, box, or ceiling). Mosquitoes are weak flyers and can’t overcome the fan’s air currents.
Follow these methods, and next year - and the following years - we can expect to see more and more fireflies in the yards of Franklin Park!
A thriving environment includes the little things.