I always enjoyed summer nights that gave me the opportunity to witness nature’s light shows. I enjoyed scanning the constellations as they shimmered against the dark sky. Occasionally, I would spot what looked like a slowly moving star. Research taught me that it was likely one of the many satellites launched from earth.

However, nature provided another light show hours earlier around twilight. Sitting in a folding chair I was often entertained by the flashing lights of fireflies, the subject of this column.

Also known as lightning bugs, fireflies are not actually flies; they are part of the beetle family. There are over 2000 species of them worldwide. These nocturnal insects are most often found in tropical or temperate regions with high humidity. Their most captivating characteristic is their ability to glow using a phenomenon known as bioluminescence.

The glow or flicker serves many purposes, the most important being communication. During mating season males flash unique light patterns to attract potential mates. Females, perched on blades of grass or leaves, respond with their own blinking signals. If they find the display of the male appealing each species of firefly has a distinct flashing pattern making it easier for them to identify males within their own kind.

Some species also use the blinking lights as a defense mechanism. It warns predators that they carry bitter tasting chemicals that can be toxic. Some fireflies take deception to another level. The species known as “femme fatales” have more than mating on their schedule. Being a true carnivore, they use patterns to bring the males closer only to devour them.  

In the larva stage many species of fireflies are carnivorous and enjoy eating snails and bugs. Adult fireflies usually live off nectar and pollen. Some species in the larva stage live underground or just under a small puddle of water. In this state they are known as glow worms and use the flickering light to communicate to predators to “ bug off” since they aren’t tasty. In fact, glow worms produce bad tasting defensive steroids for protection from potential predators. 

Worldwide the number of fireflies seemed to be on the decline. One reason is that the organ that creates the light produces a chemical in the form of an enzyme called luciferase. Luciferase initially was only found in fireflies, so companies had to develop ways to keep them alive. Today’s companies make synthetic luciferase which has proven to be a useful chemical in scientific research, food safety testing and other tests. 

Other factors that may point to the reason for the decline in the number of fireflies include light pollution and habitat destruction. Fireflies tend to be territorial, living in the same area for their full life. If their native habitat is paved over into a parking lot, for example, the fireflies don’t migrate to another field; they just disappear forever. 

Since fireflies tend to hover a few feet above the ground they are easy to catch with a net. If you catch some, you can keep them in a jar with a hole punched in the lid to let air in. The bottom of the jar should be lined with a moistened paper towel. But to keep them alive you should only keep them in the jar for a day or two before letting them out. 

If you want to attract fireflies to your yard here are some simple things you can do. Turn off unnecessary lights at sunset to minimize any interference with their mating signals. Try to avoid using pesticides which can harm the adults. Since they thrive in humid areas planting native grasses and maintaining damp soil can encourage their presence. You can enhance a successful larva stage by leaving some decaying organic matter on the ground to allow the larva to feed. 

So, the next time you see the flickering lights above your grass take a moment to appreciate the wonders of nature. Those flickering lights are an invitation for us to marvel at the small miracles that exist all around us.

Hudson Cooper is a resident of Sullivan County, a writer, comedian and actor.