INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Scientists are hoping a network of backyard volunteers who spent the summer counting fireflies can help them determine if the luminous insects are in a decline.
About 700 volunteers from across the nation counted fireflies in their backyards, local parks and meadows and also noted their color and flash patterns.
The volunteers then entered their observations into an online database that’s central to the Firefly Watch program sponsored by the Boston Museum of Science.
Scientists are worried by reports from the public that they are seeing fewer fireflies each summer, possibly because of habitat destruction from suburban sprawl.
About 5,100 people from 42 states and four other nations have taken part in Firefly Watch’s online effort since it debuted in May 2008.
Editor’s note: This one hour exposure photo taken June 22, 2009 and provided by Steve Irvine, captures fireflies in front of his home in Big Bay, Ontario in Canada.
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Comments (75)
Sandra
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 7:46pmYou could never count all of them in my backyard. It is a natural certified habitat, and the fireflies light it up like a search light every night. Maybe the gov could re-hire Acorn.
Report Post »woodyb
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 7:29pmThe counters might have been unpaid volunteers, but I‘ll wager that the ’scientist’ conducting this study got a stimulus grant to CREATE JOBS!!!!
Report Post »Marc Jacobs
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 6:38pmBackyard Volunteers Count Democrats to Track Possible Decline in Numbers
Report Post »I think the decline in the numbers of Democrats can be pinpointed to their stupid policies.
As far as the fireflies are concerned…. I think we have more important issues ahead of us right now.
EastTexas
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 6:37pmOn June 10th of this year my backyard looked like it was snowing fireflies. They had been active before that night, but I have never seen anything like it in my life. It was quite remarkable. We moved to a town 120 miles NE of Dallas last spring from Arlington.Prior to moving we had not seen Fireflies for at least 10 years.
Report Post »DanniDee
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 6:16pmCould it be poisons being let loose in the air? Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if our enemies here and elsewhere are attempting to poison us but are getting to the insects first!
Report Post »MISSGB
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 6:00pmI wonder how much this cost the taxpayers? It‘s certainly clear that it could take more than 20 years to find out just exactly what organizations have been created with the taxpayer’s money. An audit of the government is due!
Report Post »Doc_Slammin
Posted on September 6, 2010 at 2:33amVolunteers aren’t usually paid, but who knows? As the “overton window” moves ever so slightly, maybe we’ll find out that “volunteer” now means “public employee”.
Report Post »nono524
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:49pmSomeone please tell me you are kidding!
Report Post »BoilitDown
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:43pmMy grandchildren are still chacing them around the yard.
Report Post »My first thought is, who is getting grant money to fabricate another “the sky is falling” cause for a buch of activists to make our lives more costly and miserable.
Is anybody else with me on that?
smartypoop
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:34pmIs this one of those earmark studies paid for by the Stimulus bill? What about jobs? The article says they were volunteers! I feel like Im living in the twilight zone these days!
Report Post »missmarie
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:16pmDo the fireflies know more than the bees? Inquiring minds want to know….
Report Post »dressseller
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:43pmLOL. :D
Report Post »Hersh-E
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:13pmSeveral years ago in Indiana there was a count of butterflies by volunteers organized thru Purdue University most likely funded by our tax dollars. Like MaryLou most of them are @ my neighborhood so they must like the smell of chocolate in the air.
Report Post »amynbob
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:13pmWe have kids, and one of our boys’ favorite stories is “Sam and the Firefly”. Great book to read before bed, and the boys love it. Unfortunatly, we never get to see Fireflys in AZ… I grew up Midwest, so i was used to fireflys in the summer, and had fun collecting them in jars. Much better than my kids watching Diego or Dora the Explorer, being Indoctrinated with spanish and thinking that the world is full of 3 toed Sloths, Jaguars, and Boots the talking monkey… Bring back the fireflys!
Report Post »dressseller
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:42pmAMYNBOB, We have that book and I can’t part with it as it holds good memories of when I used to read it to my son who is named Sam. You reminded me of it.. ..Think I’ll have to go get the book out and re-read it tonight. lol.
Report Post »iatoala
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 5:08pmEver have them hit your windshield while your cruzin at 60 mph? its cool to see them glow then.
Report Post »Scootin_Fool
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 9:32pmI‘ve had them splat on my scooter’s windscreen and on the shield of my motorcycle helmet. I’ve noticed no difference in the numbers around here. The cornfields seem to glow with them in June and July. Then they try to fly across the road and continue to glow after being flattened on my helmet.
Report Post »FloridaEagle
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 4:49pmha! coincidence? My farming lands saw declines in lightning bugs over last decade. I recently remarked that they have obviously recovered. They are also attracted to our windows at night because of the Big Screen TV flicker. I compare today to my youth in the 70′s when my cousins & I would catch and release them in mason jars. Great American Fun!
Report Post »frostbite
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 4:27pmi counted them every summer for about 10 years. whats the big deal? send me my grant money and ill tell them if its up or down.
Report Post »jaime
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 4:09pmNice, hopefully someone got like 10 bazillion dollars from the “Stimulus” to fund this. Ghey!
Report Post »dressseller
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 4:03pmI have noticed a decline in recent years ….but I don’t want the government to use that as an excuse to allocate billions to the study of the habitat and life cycle of fire flies. Private organizations who handle such matters can do this without government intervention. If funding is an issue…let them raise private funds from environmentally friendly citizens/groups. Stay out of it Uncle Sam.
Report Post »EZBurns
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 4:03pmA friend who has a business beekeeping has had hives just vanish. Something is hinky in insectland.
Report Post »123halle
Posted on September 6, 2010 at 9:03amthey don’t disappear ,depend on where you live africa bees (killers bees) start to mate and they move on . it happens alot in the south west.. and also a bee mite will kill a whole hive in a matter of afew days . they flie off never come back .
Report Post »got plenty of lighting bugs just a waste of money
krevello
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 3:50pmironically, this is the first summer i’ve actually seen fireflies in my town.
Report Post »KwikKarl
Posted on September 6, 2010 at 7:06amCentral PA here, I had just commented earlier this summer to my wife – I cant remember seeing this many lightning bugs in my life. My entire back field to the creek was lit up – I had never seen so many in the trees either…
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 3:47pmIf the count is down somewhere, it’s because they are my house this year. Simply beautiful most evenings but I will not try to count them.
Report Post »MegsAccount
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 10:04pmYour yard and mine too. They were an absolute menace. If we drove down the roads at night, by the time we made it home our cars were glowing with squished bug butts. Gross. We had more lightning bugs than mosquitos.
doncarr61
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 3:26pmOnce they get the ‘smart grid’ up and running and you are not part of the ‘PARTY’ you may well need those fireflies to read on those long dark winter evenings.
Report Post »petefrt
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 7:09pmSo when the wind isn’t blowing enough to run the windmills to light our homes, we can use fireflies? Why didn’t I think of that.
Report Post »Large Eagle
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 8:15pmWhat do you want to bet that they are getting paid from grant / stimulus package monies. Shovel ready on this job means uncovering the bull matter. Go figure – Am I being insensitive?
Report Post »Angeleri
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 3:23pmInsects will never disappear, as much as I may want them to. Honestly, who cares? Somehow Rocktruth is going to be right…
Report Post »yanks_39
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 3:21pmway too much time on their hands. if they are scientists, maybe they should work on discovering a cure for cancer or nuclear fusion – but fire flies… you must have something else to do…
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 3:08pmAnother excuse for legalized abortion and to pass cap and trade.
Report Post »American Pride
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 6:46pmlololol
Report Post »Kster
Posted on September 6, 2010 at 4:17pmHallarious….but sad to say true. :(
Report Post »Jeff in Miami
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 6:30amI agree, this is an excellent reason to have Late Term Abortion starting with the far left. Anyone spending MY TAX DOLLARS for this stupid study should be examined by a professional and quickly moved to California before it spreads!
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 3:06pmAnother reason for the government to take control of our land from us.
Report Post »cboy1954
Posted on September 6, 2010 at 9:35amI wonder who’s paying for this study(gov. funded I would guess). Maybe we should spend our money on a better subject.We do need to give our college grads some work though.
Report Post »Eagle07
Posted on September 6, 2010 at 5:26pmAnother job saved or was that created?
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