Ten Thousand Lightning Bugs *You would not believe your eyes* *If ten million fireflies* *Lit up the world as I fell asleep 🎶* ***Fireflies - Owl City***
Do you still remember when you were a kid and you were rushing around your backyard attempting to capture some fireflies? Those night-sky-illuminating lightning bugs. For many people, fireflies evokes fond recollections. On summer evenings, many people recall rushing around their backyards, attempting to capture the dancing lights in front of their eyes. During the summer months, nothing beats the spectacle of lightning bugs, commonly known as fireflies, lighting up the night sky. However, as we become older, they are becoming more rare to find. Have you seen any of them recently? You haven't, right? It is because they're starting to become extinct. Fireflies are not only associated with childhood recollections, but they also hold cultural significance for some people. The amazing light shows produced by these insects stimulate tourism and economic growth in several parts of the world. Despite the amazement that their bioluminescent courtship rituals inspire, fireflies have been largely overlooked in conservation efforts around the world. Scientists have noted a global fall in their population numbers in recent years. However, there is no formal population data for nearly every firefly species, and there are over 2,000 different types of firefly beetles. Link https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/02/03/world/fireflies-extinction-risk-scn/index.html **Here are the following threats of fireflies extinction:** **The loss of Habitat**
The loss of habitat is one of the biggest threats to firefly extinction. In the Philippines, it is mostly mountains and huge trees were cut down in exchange for new subdivisions. Subdivisions here, subdivisions there, subdivisions everywhere. Even in provinces where it's supposed to be a place for fireflies to give light at night, we no longer see them because of pollution and overpopulation. The amount and context of habitat loss and fragmentation vary around the world. In general, the expansion of human activity poses a threat to the habitats of these populations. **Artificial Lights at Night**
According to the report, it is the world's second most serious threat to fireflies. (Billboards, signage, street lights, etc). Several research have shown that artificial lights have a deleterious impact on firefly populations, with several studies indicating a negative relationship between artificial light levels and firefly abundance. According to the findings, firefly taxa that are active at night are most likely to be affected. According to the study, artificial light is most likely to disrupt nocturnally active firefly taxa, as these adults rely on bioluminescent courtship cues to find mates. **The Use of Pesticides**
Pesticides are the world's third-largest hazard to fireflies. While there have been few research on the direct impact of broad-spectrum pesticides on fireflies, it is well known that they have negative effects on insect populations. Aerial spraying, contact with pesticide-affected soil or water, or consumption of infected prey can all result in insecticide exposure. At any stage of their lives, fireflies can be exposed. The larval stage of aquatic and terrestrial firefly species can be especially vulnerable to high pesticide concentrations in water and soil. Insecticides may also be present in firefly eggs placed in dirt, moss, or rotting wood. When adults rest in treated areas, they may be exposed to insecticides. Certain insecticides targeted against mosquitos are frequently sprayed from the air around nightfall, when fireflies are also active, putting them at risk. All around the country—and the world—fireflies are vanishing from wetlands, gardens, and forests. And if this situation continues, fireflies may become extinct, turning our summer days something less magical. Fireflies are fragile, and once they're gone, they're lost forever. It is, however, not too late to save them. We must act now to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy fireflies for many summers to come.
**Lead image** https://images.app.goo.gl/3d6D2vmL8uQ1Cexy5 Image Sources: Image 1 https://images.app.goo.gl/wm7e5ScYcF95wvTJ6 Image 2 https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.takeshape.io%2Ffd194db7-7b25-4b5a-8cc7-da7f31fab475%2Fdev%2Fdb2988ed-5beb-452f-8b6b-995695212db6%2FFirefly%2520on%2520leaf.png%3Fauto%3Dcompress%252Cformat%26crop%3Dfaces%26fit%3Dcrop%26fm%3Djpg%26h%3D630%26q%3D75%26w%3D1200&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmassivesci.com%2Farticles%2Fartificial-light-led-impacts-fireflies-mating-courtship-save-the-fireflies%2F&tbnid=3_UyKZ2mwPOxiM&vet=1&docid=unpiHuGQzwf38M&w=1200&h=630&itg=1&hl=en&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim Image 3 https://images.app.goo.gl/e4xtz2TL1sAocZrn8 Image 4 https://images.app.goo.gl/XuxtseZRh2xnxs4y5 You might also wanna check out my recent story. **You're My First And Will Be My Last** https://read.cash/@Jinifer/youre-my-first-and-will-be-my-last-0965e17f **You're My First And Will Be My Last p2** https://read.cash/@Jinifer/youre-my-first-and-will-be-my-last-p2-09539d66 **At Last: You're My First And Will Be My Last** https://read.cash/@Jinifer/at-last-youre-my-first-and-will-be-my-last-285213b8 You can also check out my Previous Articles: GTKM: Fill this up! https://read.cash/@Jinifer/gtkm-fill-this-up-77c1401d Ohayou! Japan 日本 https://read.cash/@Jinifer/ohayou-japan-39f82600 Oh, it's been a month https://read.cash/@Jinifer/oh-its-been-a-month-06381fc5 I'm single and I love it https://read.cash/@Jinifer/im-single-and-i-love-it-d60f07eb Bonjour! Augustus https://read.cash/@Jinifer/bonjour-augustus-bf81512e Author's Note: Good evening, good morning readcash cutiezens. I've been trying my very best to be able to publish an article today. And luckily I still able to tap the published button way before the clock reach the 12 midnight lol You can always hit the **Like** and **Subscribe** button if you want to. **Arigathankyougozaimuch** ❣️
18 comments
Love fireflies and miss them. Thank you for sharing this. Hopefully, something can be done to help save these bugs from extinction!
We can help preserve them by reducing the use of what was mentioned above. Especially their habitats. But sadly, people nowadays are now more into technology where they keep inventing things for the peoples betterment but the opposite for the animals and bugs
Dati angdami nyan dito. Pero ngayon wala na ako makita. Kung may makita man ako isa o dalawa na lang di na tulad ng dati na maramihan sila. :((((
Sameeee, dati dito sa'min ang daming fireflies kasi ang daming puno ng acacia dito. Pero ngayon konti nalang yung mga puno tas sobrang rare na makakita ng ganyan, sa isang year, parang isang beses lang ako nakakakita ng alitaptap :'(
In the end I'd say that the extinction of fireflies is inevitable based on all the factors mentioned above. Cos there can't be any way of regulating these things. For instance, sign boards and lights on the streets can not be eliminated because we want fireflies to live, its completely impossible. Hence their extinction in the long run cannot be avoided.
You've got a point tho, but we can help them by preserving their larvae and reducing the usage of what was mentioned above. :)
Every time bumibisita kame dun sa bhay ng lola ko nung bata pako lage akong nakaantabay sa malaking puno ng mangga doon sobrang dami kaso simula ng pinutol yun, ni isang firefly wala nakong mahagilap . 🥺
Dito sa'min sobrang daming ganyan dati kasi marami din kasi yung mga puno ng acacia, pero nong pinutol na nila yung mga puno, bihira nalang talaga makakakita ng mga alitaptap
Huhu ang sad bakit pinutol yung puno?
Ang tahal ko ng di nakakakita ng fireflies. Dti sa probinsya ng lola ko eh andame ganyan, takot pa nga ako nun una kasi baka mapaso ako, hahahah.. Pero ngayon wala na ko nakikita nyan
Dito sa'min sa isang taon parang isang beses lang ata ako makakakita ng ganto. Paunti ng paunti na talaga yung mga fireflies ngayon :(
Sana naman wag maging endanger.
Waaaah. I miss them. Daming fireflies dito samin dati, sarap nila panuorin lumipad lipad. Ngayon wala na, puro bahay na. Natutuwa pa rin ako pag nakakakita ako ng isa e kaso nakakalungkot kasi konti nalang. Sana masave pa talaga hays.
Nakakalungkot lang isipin na yung mga kabataan ngayon ay bihira nalang nakaka Kita ng fireflies sa personal 🥺
Samin maraming fire flies kasi may part dito na madamo kaso nga lang often nagpuputol ng damo yung home owners association dito kaya ayun. If I can buy that piece of land para hindi masira habitat nila
May tatlong malalaking acacia dito sa'min, kaya lang yung isa pinutol kaya bihira nalang kami makakakita ng mga alitaptap
Wow sana mabili m... Baka sakali makatulong ang BCH ntin dito. Hehe.
Oh I'd like to read that study too about the fireflies and the light connection. It's really sad how we disregard our environment. At least now more people are being aware but there are still the old ones who don't care.