Catching lightning bugs how to#

Fireflies don’t live that long, so keeping them for a day or two hurts their chances to breed and may cause stress-related mortality. It may also be tempting, especially if the kids are asking, to keep the fireflies as pets but resist the urge. Also, you don’t need to feed fireflies or give them standing water (insects can drown pretty easily). Be forewarned, though: Firefly photography can be tricky, so be sure to read up on it beforehand. Now attach the cover, watch it blink, and snag some great photos. Gently swipe at the firefly with a butterfly net until you catch it, and then carefully transfer it into the jar with your hand ⏤ or better yet, coax it in without actually touching it. After your eyes acclimate to the dark, you should start to see them blink.

Catching lightning bugs how to#

How to Catch FirefliesĬatching lightning bugs is straightforward: Find an open area free of tripping hazards and turn off all the lights. Store-bought “bug houses” are another easier alternative. A piece of cut-to-fit cardboard with some tiny holes poked through it ⏤ or a trimmed down paper plate ⏤ affixed with duct tape works well. Obviously, you also need a lid for the jar or container that allows air to pass through but prevents fireflies from escaping. The equipment needed to catch fireflies is pretty basic: A butterfly net and a Mason jar or another transparent container with a moist, crumpled-up paper towel at the bottom. In Minnesota, you can catch them from May to August, but in Florida and other warmer states, the season may last from March until November. While firefly “season” varies significantly depending on geography, fireflies are most active in the spring and summer. If you’re still struggling to spot them, check the Firefly Watch Project map again and see if anybody in your area has reported a sighting.Īlso, keep the calendar in mind. They’re usually dark enough at night to attract fireflies. If you live in a well-lit neighborhood and are striking out in the backyard, scout out your local or state parks. Still, that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

They also gravitate toward darker areas with less light pollution, which is why it can be tough to find them in fragmented suburban yards or cities. How to Find Firefliesįireflies love open areas near water and woods. To see if you live in an area rich with fireflies, check out this map from the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Firefly Watch Project. That doesn’t mean folks in the West are out of luck - there are pockets of fireflies in states like Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and the Dakotas - it’s just harder to spot them. The closer you get to the Rocky Mountains, the rarer they get. While fireflies are fairly widespread in North America, they’re far more prevalent in the eastern part of the country. These flying chemistry labs are among our most iconic critters, and catching them is a fun, simple way to get kids interested in nature and excited about science.īut where are your most likely to find fireflies? What’s the best way to catch them? And do they make good pets? Here’s everything you need to know to help kids enjoy the summer light show.

And while toxic to some animals, they’re harmless to humans. Also known as lightning bugs or glowworms, there are three main types in the US ⏤ Photinus, Photuris, and Pyractomena ⏤ and they blink both to attract mates and fend off predators. Who doesn’t have fond childhood memories of roaming the backyard on a muggy July night, Mason jar in hand as you raced against friends to see who could catch the most before your parents called you in for the night? Fireflies are nature’s fireworks, and every night across a large swath of the United States, they put on a stunning spectacle.Įxcept fireflies aren’t actually flies at all ⏤ they’re beetles, and they are among the most popular insects in the world. And it’s hard to imagine a more quintessential summer activity than catching them. Few insects excite kids as much as fireflies.