7 common yard mistakes that could be keeping fireflies away this summer

If you want to see more fireflies in your yard, avoid these habits as much as possible.

Few moments feel as magical as an evening spent in the garden watching the flicker of fireflies against the summer night sky. But if you haven't seen any fireflies in your yard this summer, it may be time to investigate why. In this guide, we'll cover the most common reasons why fireflies may not be stopping by your space. Plus, get simple tips to make your lawn and garden more inviting to these summertime favorites.

1. Using Broad-Spectrum Pesticides

Although pesticides are intended to treat nuisance insects, like aphids, cabbage loopers, and Japanese beetles, many of these chemicals can harm fireflies just as easily as the pests they're intended to treat. For this reason, it's best to avoid using pesticides whenever possible and opt for organic pest control methods, such as hand-picking, floating row covers, and companion planting instead. Remember, even organic pesticides can potentially harm fireflies and other pollinators, especially when applied directly to flowers.

2. Keeping Lights on All Night

Fireflies need plenty of dark to put on their nocturnal light show and attract the mates needed to produce the next generation of fireflies. However, if you leave outdoor lights on after dark, it can interfere with firefly displays and make it much harder for these nighttime "love bugs" to find each other. To avoid this, consider turning off outdoor lights after dark or put outdoor lighting on a timer and use blackout shades or curtains in your home.

3. Mowing Lawns Super Short

Perfectly manicured lawns may appeal to human eyes, but they offer few benefits for fireflies and other wildlife. Instead of cutting your lawn super short, consider raising your mower deck up to 3 to 4 inches and reducing the number of times you mow your lawn each month. Fireflies like to cling to tall grass blades when signaling mates, but longer grass also helps fireflies by increasing soil moisture levels and providing extra sheltering spots.

Tip

If you want to do even more for fireflies, consider allowing a section of your lawn to grow completely “wild.” A mix of taller grasses and wildflowers makes an ideal oasis for these insects.

4. Ignoring Native Plants

Adult fireflies are pollinators, feeding on pollen and nectar just like bees and butterflies do. Rather than growing non-native plants and annuals that offer minimal benefits to fireflies and other pollinators, try adding some native plants to your flower beds to provide more food and shelter for fireflies. The native plants that are best suited for your garden will vary depending on where you live, but some of the best picks for fireflies include native conifers, asters, blazing stars, and cardinal flowers.

5. Raking Up Lawn Clippings

Fireflies need moisture just like any other insect and are more likely to shelter in spots that feel a little damp. However, if you rake up lawn clippings as soon as you mow your lawn, you may be depriving fireflies of safe habitat and causing your lawn to dry out faster than needed. Instead, leave light layers of lawn clippings right where they fall after mowing so the clippings can shelter fireflies and naturally feed your soil as they break down.

6. Cleaning Up Leaves in Early Spring

Just like other pollinators, fireflies and their larvae also use fallen leaf litter as sheltering spots in spring. But if you keep an overly tidy garden or rake fallen leaves out of your flower beds too early, you may be removing hiding spots that fireflies rely on or raking away the fireflies themselves. If you do want to clean out your flower beds, wait until temperatures are consistently above 50°F to start raking and then move the leaf litter you remove to a brush or compost pile just in case some fireflies are still hiding in those leaves.

7. Removing Brush Piles

Brush piles also provide important habitat for fireflies and other wildlife, and fireflies love the moisture of decaying wood. If you're looking for even more ways to help out fireflies, consider moving brush to an out-of-the-way corner of your garden and allow old wood logs to naturally decay into the soil. These small tasks may not seem like much, but they can make all the difference for fireflies.

Frequently asked Questions

What is a firefly's favorite food?

Some adult fireflies never eat, but others feed on the nectar and pollen of native plants. Firefly larvae, on the other hand, are usually carnivorous and may feed on soft-bodied insects, slugs, snails, and worms.

What plants attract fireflies?

Fireflies are naturally attracted to native plants that produce pollen and nectar, as well as native conifers which provide a dark backdrop for fireflies' nighttime light show.

Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens