How to Create a Firefly Sanctuary
With patience and some intentional garden work, you can help the iconic creatures thrive.
I can hear the patter of little footsteps as my child, who is supposed to be getting ready for a bath, comes hurrying down the stairs, shouting fireflies; I see fireflies. Can we go see them? It’s a request that is impossible for me to resist.
If you grew up on the East Coast or in the Midwest, you know what I mean. Barefoot in the yard, watching the twinkling fireflies, chasing their dazzling lights: It’s quintessential summertime. In the US, there are more than 160 known species of fireflies, and while they are the most common in the eastern and southern US, they are found throughout the country, with peak firefly season in June and July. Worldwide, there are more than 2,000 types of fireflies, and they have been around for millions of years. Yet, like so many of our insects, fireflies are in trouble. However, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of threatened species, the numbers of many firefly species are decreasing; some are even at risk of extinction.
But there are easy steps you can take to help the fireflies, and experience their magic yourself, by turning your yard into a firefly sanctuary.
“Whatever little bit of land you have, no matter how small it is, is this amazing opportunity to really help these creatures thrive,” says Deb Landau, director of ecological management for The Nature Conservancy Maryland/DC chapter.
Leave your leaves
“Probably the number one thing we can do is avoid yard cleanup,” says Nicole Baker, a biologist with The Wild Center, a science museum in New York’s Adirondacks. “While the leaves and detritus may look messy in the yard and in the garden, you’ll need to leave this ‘waste’ in place as it serves as the winter home for thousands of invertebrates, some of which the firefly larvae are hoping to eat.”
Fireflies spend up to two years as firefly larvae. They have voracious appetites at that stage, feeding on various invertebrates, including snails, slugs, and earthworms, all of which are likely crawling on that leaf litter.
“Firefly larvae are crazy looking—they look like armored caterpillars. They’re actually pretty scary looking up close, and a lot of times, people will see them and be like, what the heck is this crazy creature in my yard? But it’s a firefly,” says Landau, who encourages people to look up pictures of firefly larvae so they become familiar with them.
Those leaves also help to build the overall soil health of your garden. They allow the soil to retain moisture, and as leaves and plant matter decompose, they add nutrients back to the soil. Keep in mind that you could also have a dedicated area in your yard for the leaves if you’re using your yard in ways that require parts of it to be neat and tidy.
Opt for local
When you’re looking to seed your yard in the fall, look for native grasses or wildflowers in your area.
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“Try to find seed supply that is local to the area; don’t mail order it if you don’t know where exactly the seeds are coming from,” says Ben Pfeiffer of Firefly Conservation & Research.
While prioritizing native plants is a tried and true method for conserving all aspects of the natural world, it can be challenging to go all native, especially if you don’t have a blank slate to work with, and that’s OK.
“What is more feasible is to diversify and, little by little, replace and/or add in native perennials, shrubs, and trees over time. Truly, every little bit helps, whether it’s small or large scale,” says Baker.
Be patient
While you’ve heard of “leave the leaves” in the autumn, you also want to wait for your spring cleanup. Baker says you’ll want to wait to do spring garden cleaning and yard racking until there has been about a week’s worth of temperatures over 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the threat of nighttime frost has passed.
“The point is to wait long enough for the overwintering insect life to emerge from the leaf litter, and gardens, before detritus removal. That way, your “leave the leaves” efforts pay off, and insects don’t get squashed by the rake when we gardeners inevitably get excited by the first warm day,” says Baker.
You’re also not going to see the results of your work overnight. According to Pfeiffer, it can take more than two years. If you’ve done any chemical treatment on your lawn or had a mosquito control company out, it could take even longer as those chemicals also likely killed fireflies.
“I can’t say enough about the importance of minimizing the use of pesticides. It’s not just that it negatively impacts the firefly larvae and the adults, but all the microorganisms underneath which the firefly larvae are feeding on and dependent on,” says Landau.
Turn off your lights
Come firefly season—typically June and July—you’ll want to keep at least some of your yard a little wild with longer grass. Think about creating dark spaces for adult fireflies with the grass, but also with trees and shrubs, and turn off your outdoor lights if you can.
“Many insects are influenced by artificial light, and the firefly is no exception. Since these little beetles are reliant on their flashy display to communicate with others, they are more likely to experience negative impacts of artificial light pollution,” says Baker.
While the best solution would be to eliminate artificial lights at night or at least in June and July when the fireflies are most active, you could also switch to motion sensor lights for outdoor lights, light fixtures with top shields, or replace your bulbs with red lights, which have less of an impact.
Take in the experience
Don’t forget to enjoy the fireflies you see.
“They are these iconic things, and I think experiencing them helps connect people across boundaries,” says Pfeiffer. “I love doing firefly walks.”
You can also collect them and put them in a jar; it’s a great learning experience for kids; just let them go after you’ve looked at them. Don’t leave them in the jar overnight. You can even participate in citizen science projects such as Firefly Atlas, where you snap pictures of the fireflies you see.
“Just that picture of capturing what life stage it is at what time of the year, in what location it is, is incredibly helpful to scientists trying to put together a better picture of how our fireflies are doing,” says Landau.
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