Around me we've seen such a decline in firefly sightings that it's neighborhood gossip worthy if anyone sees even one anymore. In the early 90s there would be hundreds in my parent's back yard by...
Around me we've seen such a decline in firefly sightings that it's neighborhood gossip worthy if anyone sees even one anymore. In the early 90s there would be hundreds in my parent's back yard by the lake and pond. Now I think it's been nearly 3-5 years since I remember seeing one.
We live in a lake and swamp system that has limited growth potential as a result. At night you could tell where the shoreline was due to the firefly swarm. Now there simply aren't any fireflies.
I've always felt that the decimation started when our county started spraying for mosquito control. This was further corroborated when there were budget cutbacks and they spraying was temporarily cut way back and the fireflies came back. The county denies it. In fact, searching the internet seems to result in about a 50/50 yes/no answer to "does mosquito control affect fireflies".
Nearly 1 in 3 firefly species in the United States and Canada may be threatened with extinction, firefly experts estimate in a recent comprehensive assessment. Surveys abroad show declines from mangroves in Malaysia to grasslands in England. New research is shedding light on how these ethereal insects are struggling to thrive in the brightly lit world we have built around them.
Around me we've seen such a decline in firefly sightings that it's neighborhood gossip worthy if anyone sees even one anymore. In the early 90s there would be hundreds in my parent's back yard by the lake and pond. Now I think it's been nearly 3-5 years since I remember seeing one.
We live in a lake and swamp system that has limited growth potential as a result. At night you could tell where the shoreline was due to the firefly swarm. Now there simply aren't any fireflies.
I've always felt that the decimation started when our county started spraying for mosquito control. This was further corroborated when there were budget cutbacks and they spraying was temporarily cut way back and the fireflies came back. The county denies it. In fact, searching the internet seems to result in about a 50/50 yes/no answer to "does mosquito control affect fireflies".