Fireflies are lighting up summer evenings in greater numbers this season thanks to damp soil, steady rainfall and ideal breeding conditions.

Many families have reported seeing more fireflies than usual this summer. According to Professor Christian Krupke, an entomologist at Purdue University, the increase is likely due to weather patterns that included timely rains and a mild winter, which created moist soil conditions favorable for firefly larvae. These conditions allowed more larvae to thrive underground, leading to a larger adult population.

However, experts note that a single good year does not indicate a full recovery for firefly populations, which have generally been in decline. Maintaining healthy soil and minimizing insecticide use can help support fireflies, but their future numbers will depend on conditions in the coming fall and winter.

What's behind this summer's firefly glow? Weather may be the spark

It's one of summer's simplest joys. Watching fireflies light up the night and trying to catch them in a jar. This year, many families say they're seeing more flickers than usual. Professor of entomology at Purdue University Christian Krupke says the reason could be rooted in the weather. We got timely rains and as you probably know we've been in drought in various levels of drought for years on and off fireflies. Like moist moisture and moist soils, so they they're not a species that likes the dry conditions. A mild winter and wet spring helped larvae thrive underground. A critical phase in the firefly life cycle, or we saw a lot of fireflies that were mating and laying eggs, so we should have a large population of larvae going into overwintering. We'll see how they do coming through winter and see what what the next summer brings. Fireflies need healthy soil and a strong food chain to survive. When you don't have that, those things start dying and doing not as well. Therefore, their predators, fireflies also start dying and doing not as well. Even with a glowing summer, Krupke says one good year doesn't necessarily mean the species is making a comeback. Whether that's an indication that the populations are rebounding, I I wouldn't go that far because of the trends. Long term are a decline, but there are small steps homeowners can take in their own yard to help fireflies leave soil undisturbed. Have soil with a diversity of plants and minimize insecticide use however you can this summer. Sparkle may be thanks to just the right mix of moisture and timing. But what happens below ground this fall and winter will determine whether we see the glow again next year. For Accuweather, I'm Ali Reed.

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