Scientists warn that recent claims suggest we may be the last generation to witness fireflies, with a 2024 study in Science of The Total Environment analyzing 24,000 North American surveys revealing declining firefly populations across the continent.
University of Kentucky's Darin McNeil, the study's principal investigator, explains that "subtle changes in climate patterns, especially related to temperature, are significantly impacting firefly breeding cycles and habitat quality," while artificial lights disrupt both adult and larval development stages.
The IUCN Firefly Specialist Group has assessed only 150 species out of more than 2,600 firefly species worldwide, with 20 percent of those studied already threatened with extinction, according to co-chair Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh.
Ben Pfeiffer, founder of Firefly Conservation and Research, offers hope by stating "we won't be the last generation to see fireflies" but warns we risk losing unique locally adapted species while common habitat generalists like Photinus pyralis may survive.
Conservation efforts include the Firefly Atlas launched in 2022 and global assessments by IUCN, with experts like Jusoh expressing optimism: "Compared to 30 years ago, we are on the right track" for firefly conservation.
