Where Have All The Fireflies Gone? Scientists Want You To Count Them And Find Out!

Spotting fireflies is a special part of summer for many children (and adults too!) But scientists say the firefly population could be on the decline. The Museum of Science in Boston has joined forces with researchers from Tufts University and Fitchburg State College to track the fate of these incredible insects. Also participating in the research is the Charles H. Bullock Elementary School in Montclair, which sent an email to Bullock families Tuesday, asking for assistance. Helping out is simple: all you need to do is count firelies for a 10-minute period and report it online.

"Fireflies, besides being a treasured part of childhood, [in their larval stage] eat grubs and slugs so they are beneficial," said Dr. Barbara Weller, principal of the Bullock School. "Also, the diminishing population of any life form is of, at least, interest to scientists.

"It makes science real for students when they can participate in a project such as this," she said.

To find out more about how to help by counting fireflies in your yard for 10 minutes at night, and how to record your findings, go to the Museum of Science's Web site for more information on the project. Throughout the summer, the Web site will update its online map of everyone's firefly sightings, so you can check on how the project is progressing and "perhaps find a local firefly hotspot in a public access area that's close to you."

By asking people to count the number of fireflies they see as part of the Firefly Watch, scientists can learn more about the geographic distribution of fireflies and their movement during the summer months. The insects could be affected by all sorts of factors, everything from human-made light to pesticides in lawns. Some scientists say firefly populations are dwindling because of human encroachment on their habitat and because of the increase in lights and development.

In addition, by participating in Firefly Watch you can help your child learn a lot more about fireflies and also about scientific research, Weller said. Not only can you track fireflies in your own yard, but you can join a network of volunteers and keep up with the project's progress online by interacting with other Citizen Scientists, she added.

Not only can you count fireflies in your yard, but soon you'll be able to count fireflies in the field outside the Bullock School, scheduled to open to students in September.

"Even with the construction fence locked, one can see the whole field at Bullock," Weller said. "Plus, I am optimistic that we will have a permanent [certificate of occupancy] soon and be able to have people here."

If you send an email with your firefly count to either Weller at bweller@montclair.k12.nj.us or to Bev Weitzman at bweitzman@montclair.k12.nj.us, they will do a report for the Bullock School.