8/30/2023 0 Comments Lightning bugs endangeredThe beetles also occur west of the Rocky Mountains, although diversity is lower and populations more widely scattered. Eastern regions, particularly the mid-Atlantic and southeastern states, have the greatest firefly diversity. The United States hosts about 170 species sprinkled unevenly across the country. The firefly family, Lampyridae, includes more than 2,200 distinct species worldwide. Known by many different names, including lightning bugs and candle flies, fireflies are neither bugs nor flies but beetles. Who are these marvelous creatures? How do they make their light? Are they really disappearing-and if so, how can we help protect them? For more than three decades, my Tufts University students and I have been working to reveal secrets of firefly ecology, behavior and evolution. All over the world, they rank among our most beloved insects, yet few people appreciate the full glory of fireflies’ luminous lives. My confession: I’ve witnessed this drama unfold a thousand times, but fireflies still take my breath away. SHOUTS OF "OOOH!" AND "OVER THERE!" Then, just a whispered “Oh … wow.” As darkness falls and chorus frogs crescendo on a summer evening, my sons and I watch as tiny bright creatures rise like glowing embers from a New England meadow. Male blue ghost fireflies ( Phausis reticulata) advertise to females with prolonged glows that can last more than a minute as shown in this single, long-exposure image made in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. By Sara Lewis // Photographs by Radim Schreiber.A firefly expert shares her wisdom-and worries-about the insects
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