{"id":11344,"date":"2018-07-05T13:56:36","date_gmt":"2018-07-05T17:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=11344"},"modified":"2018-07-05T13:56:36","modified_gmt":"2018-07-05T17:56:36","slug":"fired-up-about-fireflies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/fired-up-about-fireflies\/","title":{"rendered":"Fired Up About Fireflies"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to summer rituals, watching fireflies light up the night sky has to be one of the most magical. For generations, these flying insects have been providing wondrous moments for people of all ages. Lately, though, scientists are curious if firefly populations are growing or shrinking. And in order to get those answers, they need your help.<\/p>\n

\"fireflies<\/p>\n

Enter Firefly Watch<\/h3>\n

This citizen science project<\/a> asks people all across the country to report whether or not you see flashing fireflies. The Museum of Science in Boston launched this project 10 years ago. This year, Mass Audubon is carrying the torch (or should we say flash), and we have partnered up with the preeminent firefly researchers from Tufts University (shout out to Sara and Avalon<\/a>!).<\/p>\n

All you need to do is go outside after dark, take stock of your surroundings, and then set a timer. Each observation includes three 10-second time periods. If you see fireflies, sweet! Let us know approximately how many. Didn\u2019t see any? That\u2019s ok! We still want to know that too!<\/p>\n

Get to Know Fireflies<\/h3>\n

The first thing to know about fireflies is that even though they\u2019re often called lightening bugs, they are not a bug (nor are they a fly). Rather they are beetles that have this really cool ability to light up their lower abdomen (the bottom part of their body).<\/p>\n

Some of them light up in a specific blinking pattern, like a secret code that they use to \u201ctalk\u201d with other fireflies and to find mates. In North America, there are over 150 species. Flashing fireflies (note: not all fireflies flash) fall into three main groups of flashing fireflies:\u00a0Photinus,\u00a0Pyractomena,\u00a0and\u00a0Photuris.<\/p>\n

On first glance, they aren\u2019t easy to tell apart, but the different species have different flash patterns. Before heading out, check out this handy chart<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Get Involved<\/h3>\n

Ready to be a Firefly Watcher? You can head out on your own or join an upcoming program or event. Find a list of what\u2019s planned, see a map of current observations, and submit your own sightings at massaudubon.org\/fireflywatch<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When it comes to summer rituals, watching fireflies light up the night sky has to be one of the most magical. For generations, these flying insects have been providing wondrous moments for people of all ages. Lately, though, scientists are curious if firefly populations are growing or shrinking. And in order to get those answers, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":11351,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[121,263,264],"class_list":["post-11344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-get-involved","tag-citizen-science","tag-fireflies","tag-firefly-watch"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/07\/Nighttime-Fireflies-credit-JS-Mcelvery600.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-2WY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9527,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/young-explorers-fireflies\/","url_meta":{"origin":11344,"position":0},"title":"Young Explorers: Fireflies","author":"Hillary T.","date":"July 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"When it comes to cool insects, it\u2019s hard to beat fireflies. Not only do they light up a dark summer night, but they also send secret messages, trick other fireflies, and can even be poisonous to some predators. Get more details and find fun firefly activities in the most recent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Young Explorers"","block_context":{"text":"Young Explorers","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/young-explorers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/07\/2899Jonathan_McElvery10423.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/07\/2899Jonathan_McElvery10423.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/07\/2899Jonathan_McElvery10423.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7615,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/bugs-slugs-slither-and-slime-yucky-programs-for-young-explorers\/","url_meta":{"origin":11344,"position":1},"title":"Bugs, Slugs, Slither, and Slime: “Yucky” Programs for Young Explorers","author":"Ryan D.","date":"June 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Let\u2019s face it\u2014kids love the \u201cYuck Factor.\u201d And thankfully, there\u2019s a lot to learn from the world of slime! At Mass Audubon\u2019s wildlife sanctuaries, kids \u00a0are encouraged to look under rocks and rotting logs to see what they can find, because there\u2019s a whole world of wonder waiting to be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/eastern-red-backed-salamander-from-West-Mountain-by-Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/eastern-red-backed-salamander-from-West-Mountain-by-Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/eastern-red-backed-salamander-from-West-Mountain-by-Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15086,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-6-2020-photo-contest-winners-under-18\/","url_meta":{"origin":11344,"position":2},"title":"Take 6: 2020 Photo Contest Winners, Under 18","author":"Ryan D.","date":"December 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"With the passing of each year, we all grow a little older (though perhaps a bit more grateful than usual to be leaving this particular year behind). But the entrants to the Under 18 bracket of our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest stay \"forever young,\" so how\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Photo Contest"","block_context":{"text":"Photo Contest","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/photo-contest-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fireflies and Star Trails, Winner: Landscapes, under 18 \u00a9 Will Draxler","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/LandscapesUnder6425Will_Draxler32659.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/LandscapesUnder6425Will_Draxler32659.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/LandscapesUnder6425Will_Draxler32659.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/LandscapesUnder6425Will_Draxler32659.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6308,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-arcadia-wildlife-sanctuary\/","url_meta":{"origin":11344,"position":3},"title":"Take 5: Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary","author":"Rosemary","date":"October 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"In the coming weeks we'll be featuring beautiful, surprising, and intriguing portraits of our wildlife sanctuaries that were captured by past participants in our Photo Contest. Here are five images from Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary\u00a0in Easthampton and Northampton.","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/10\/Martin-Espinola-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/10\/Martin-Espinola-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/10\/Martin-Espinola-2013.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4753,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-splendid-swarms\/","url_meta":{"origin":11344,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: Splendid Swarms","author":"Rosemary","date":"February 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"When animals gather in large groups, they form fascinating patterns. 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Here are five of our favorite images of wildlife en masse.","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/01\/NancyBloom-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/01\/NancyBloom-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/01\/NancyBloom-2013.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12088,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/when-nature-heroes-come-together\/","url_meta":{"origin":11344,"position":5},"title":"When Nature Heroes Come Together","author":"Hillary T.","date":"December 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"When nature heroes come together, what they can accomplish is simply amazing. 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They can encourage young kids to connect with nature and enable college students to pursue careers in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/1546_MAAudubon_0741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/1546_MAAudubon_0741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/1546_MAAudubon_0741.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/1546_MAAudubon_0741.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11344"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11349,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11344\/revisions\/11349"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}