Five Sure-Fire Ways Of Attracting Fireflies To Your Backyard Garden
Do you love fireflies and wish to attract them to your backyard? Here are some ways you can lure fireflies and watch your backyard instantly transform into a paradise of twinkling light at dusk.
As a child, you may have liked spending many evenings running around your backyard, chasing fireflies with a mason jar. But as an adult, imagine going to your backyard to relish the summer breeze and finding yourself delighted in the company of these glittering bugs. If your yard does not attract many fireflies and you wish to change that, below are some ways to draw these twinkling bugs to your space.
Add a water feature
Like dragonflies and mosquitoes, fireflies prosper in areas with high moisture content like fountains, marshes and ponds. They mate in standing water or on the edge of running water—even in birdbaths and puddles. Fireflies also prefer areas prone to catching moisture, like grassy or water meadows. If you cannot install a natural water feature, consider adding a fountain, as these bugs mate in wet areas.
Grow tall grass
Fireflies thrive in areas with tall grass, and it is their natural habitat. Therefore, let tall grass grow on the perimeter of your garden or backyard to lure female fireflies, which in turn will attract the male fireflies. The larvae of fireflies grow under trees, in logs or on fallen leaves. So, allow fallen leaves to gather in your backyard.
Turn off the lights.
Artificial light hinders the glow emitted by fireflies to lure their mates, making it difficult for these glowing insects to spot one another. Fireflies also glow to fend off predators. You can watch them better with your lights turned off, and they will flock to your yard only if it is dark.
Pile up wood.
Some species of these glowing bugs lay their eggs on the forest floor or in rotten logs, and the larvae feed on the worms, slugs, and snails that this kind of clammy habitat lures. Try creating a suitable habitat for the larvae by allowing some logs to accumulate in your backyard.
Grow native pine trees
The biggest threat to fireflies is the loss of habitat. As humans turn meadows, fields and forests into construction sites, the moisture-laden, wooded regions suitable for fireflies to thrive and reproduce are getting limited. Growing native pine trees can help these glowing bugs in several ways: the thick canopies created by pine trees block out artificial light that often hinders their mating process, and the branches and needles of the trees dropping to the ground can create the perfect spot for larvae to grow.
By offering a suitable environment for fireflies, you can enjoy watching these twinkling bugs dancing around in your yard.
