September is here. The air is starting to feel a bit cooler in many places. You might think fireflies only glow during the hot nights of June and July. But if you look at the Alitaptap map right now, you will see that people are still logging glowing insects across North America, Europe, and Asia. Fireflies do not all disappear at the same time. Different species have different schedules. Let us take a look at what is glowing right now and where you can find them.
The Winter Firefly in North America
One of the most surprising insects showing up in September is the Winter Firefly. Folks have logged sightings of this species in places like Jonesborough in Tennessee, Creston in North Carolina, Montréal in Canada, and up into Massachusetts and New York.
Now, a winter firefly does not usually glow like a summer firefly. In fact, many adults of this group are active when the weather gets chilly. They do not put on bright light shows to find mates the way summer fireflies do. Instead, you might spot them resting on tree bark or walking across the snow later in the year. Seeing them in September reminds us that the insect world is active long after the summer crowds go inside.
If you live in these areas, you can step outside on a cool September evening and check damp spots near woods. You might not see a bright flash in the air, but searching with a careful eye close to the ground can reveal these tiny creatures resting on plants.
European Glow-Worms in Central Europe
Across the ocean in Europe, observers are logging a very different kind of firefly. In places like Svatý Jan pod Skalou in the Czech Republic, Rechlin in Germany, and Eiken in Switzerland, people are finding the European Glow-worm.
These are special because the females do not have wings. They look a bit like tiny armored grubs crawling through the grass. To find a mate, the female climbs up a blade of grass and turns on a steady, bright greenish glow from her tail end. She sits there like a tiny green nightlight waiting for a flying male to notice her.
If you are walking through European fields or forest edges in September, you have to look down at the dirt and grass paths. You will not see lights blinking in the treetops. You will see steady green beacons glowing low to the earth.
Flashes in Michigan and Utah
Not all September fireflies are winter bugs or glow-worms. In Covington, Michigan, someone spotted a Spring Treetop Flasher. Further west in West Jordan, Utah, observers logged a Dark Firefly.
Every region has its own unique mix of species. In Taiwan, observers recently logged the Rimmed Window Firefly in places like Chiayi and Yunlin County. In Georgia and Maryland in the United States, people are still seeing the Common Eastern Firefly lingering as summer winds down.
This variety proves that fireflies are everywhere, but you have to know where to look. Some live in high trees. Some live in damp ditches. Others prefer open meadows.
How to Watch Without Bothering Them
When you go out to look for fireflies in September, you are visiting their home. It is important to be a good guest. Fireflies need dark spaces to see each other's lights. If you shine a bright flashlight or a smartphone screen right where they are glowing, you blind them.
Try putting a red piece of cellophane over your flashlight. Red light bothers fireflies a lot less than bright white light. Move slowly. Do not try to catch them in a jar. If you catch a firefly, it gets stressed out and stops glowing. It might even die before it can lay eggs.
The best way to watch fireflies is simply to stand still. Let your eyes get used to the dark. After a few minutes, you will start to see tiny flickers or steady glows you missed at first.
Sharing What You See
When you spot a firefly in your backyard or a local park, you can be a scientist. By logging your sighting on the Alitaptap map, you help researchers understand how firefly populations are doing. Scientists want to know if fireflies are appearing earlier or later than they used to. They want to know which towns still have healthy insect populations and which places are losing them.
Next time you walk outside on a cool September night, take a moment to look at the grass and the trees. You might spot a tiny light connecting you to observers all over the world.