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Firefly Fun

Imagine a perfect summer evening. Dewy grass tickles your bare feet. Stars twinkle overhead, and flashing fireflies are everywhere, lighting up the trees and grass like Christmas! Look for them while on your campout:

Watch the Light Show. Look for males flashing as they fly and females twinkling in one place. See if you can figure out their flash patterns. Are they all one species or several different ones?

Talk Back. Using a small flashlight, try imitating the patterns you see. If you flash the male's pattern, a female may flash back. Try the female's response; you may lure a male right to your fingertips!

Catch and Release. For a close-up look, catch a few fireflies in a jar. Check them out and then let them go, of course.

Be Firefly-Friendly. Make your backyard a good habitat for fireflies. Turn off bright outdoor lights, which "drown out" fireflies' messages. Avoid lawn chemicals. Plant trees, shrubs, and grasses to provide places for the beetles to rest and hide. Then sit back and enjoy the light show!

Activity by Kate Hofmann
Illustration by Michael Slack

Adapted from Ranger Rick magazine.