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Lightning bugs!! (mander.xyz)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] 55 points 1 year ago (3 children)

It brings me unimaginable sadness to know that my recently born nephew will grow up in such a region, when just a few years ago you could see hundreds of these guys in any given back yard

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  • [–] 19 points 1 year ago

    We've been living at the same house for about a decade. We have a tiny tiny creek in our back yard with some unmowed area around it. Our yard is chemical free and we have tons of pollinators. We saw single digit numbers of lightning bugs for nearly the time we lived here. Never more than two a night and most nights none showed up.

    The past few years we've seen an uptick. Not loads, but they seem to be making a small comeback. At least in our yard.

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I lived most of my life in areas where fireflies were around, but they weren't the bioluminescent type,

    The house I moved to about 5 years ago is in the woods and 3 months out of the year these guys buzz around my front yard and I've even helped a few out of the house.

    They never fail to bring a smile to my face.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 child)

    First one of the year is always a treat. Then I remember how many there were as a kid and it makes me sad.

    Please, switch to red outdoor lights if possible, and if you can't do that, shade your outdoor lights so that it only illuminates specific areas. Fireflies are affected by light pollution.

    Also, don't rake your leaves, or if you do have to take, try to sequester them in an area on your property, (I'm currently using my leaves as "sunkill" for garden and flower beds.) fireflies lay eggs on leaf litter, if you dispose of the leaves, you dispose of the eggs.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I treat my yard as a natural meadow the best I can. I only mow once or twice a year and we're slowly pushing out the grass previously planted. I dislike the look of a traditional boomer suburbia yard. I much prefer the wild look.

    We don't rake at all. I prefer to just let things do their thing and I'm also far too lazy to bother raking. We live in an area surrounded by woods.

    We have snakes and foxes and hares that come out of the woods from time to time. A ton of birds. It's perfect.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I wish I could let mine go, but there are city ordnances I have to follow. My "yard theory" is to break up the the whole lot with trees, bushes, flower beds, and garden plots, to the point that I can "mow" with just a weedwaker.

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