On warm American summer nights, you can see the twinkling lights of fireflies.
These amazing insects are threatened by light pollution and habitat loss. But a new study adds another risk to that list: climate change.
McNeil: “These factors … combined with the effects of climate change, could be a one-two punch for many firefly populations.”
DJ McNeil is an ecologist at the University of Kentucky.
He and his colleagues studied the relationship between environmental conditions and firefly abundance using population data collected by volunteers.
They found that climate change poses significant risks to many firefly populations.
Firefly larvae usually rely on long, cold winters to hibernate. But winters are getting shorter and warmer.
In spring and summer, the larvae like to scurry around in moist soil and hunt for soft prey such as snails. But increasingly frequent droughts may kill the larvae and their prey.
McNeil said many threats could build on top of each other.
McNeil: “We're seeing a lot of species experiencing death by a thousand cuts. The same seems to be true for fireflies.
As a result, summer nights can lose their luster in some places.
Report source: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
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