NPR Sound Bites
WSHU | By Eric Warner
Published August 24, 2023 at 8:00 AM EDT
Researchers hope to identify and protect fireflies before they flicker out.
The New York Natural Heritage Program recently finished a three-year project, surveying the state’s firefly populations on Fishers Island. The survey led to a base understanding of the state’s firefly biodiversity on the remote island at the eastern edge of Long Island Sound.
It found that 30 rare species are threatened by climate change, habitat loss, and light pollution. Artificial lights confuse fireflies who use their light to attract and find mates. Some species haven’t been seen for over 20 years, including the dot-dash firefly. However, others are more resistant to environmental changes, such as the big dipper firefly, the most common firefly in North America.
FishersIsland.net Editor’s Note:
Dr. Adam Mitchell, who has completed his Ph.D. which includes studies on Fishers Island since 2015 said, “Fireflies are more closely associated with woody vegetation and leaf litter than grasslands like the Parade Grounds. They are more often found in dark backyards and in more forested parts of the Island with higher soil moisture.”
Fireflies may disappear, so NY scientists are trying to count how many are left
While the most infamous New York insect is the cockroach, some locals are lucky enough from early May to early August to encounter a more enchanting bug: the firefly. That luck, however, is at risk of running out.
Firefly populations in North America are in decline. Researchers estimate that 14% of species from Canada and the United States are threatened with extinction—a trend fueled by various pressures, including climate change, habitat loss and light pollution. It’s possible this number could be higher. Click the Gothamist Button to see photos and READ MORE
