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The fireflies are just... gone from my backyard now
I grew up in central Ohio and we'd catch dozens every summer night in the 90s. This June, I sat outside for three hours and counted exactly two. I read a study from the University of Florida that said light pollution and lawn chemicals are the main culprits. It's a tiny, quiet loss that feels huge... has anyone else noticed this where they live?
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phoenixw1116h ago
That "tiny, quiet loss" hits hard. Did the study say if switching to no chemicals on the lawn could help bring them back?
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the_simon15h ago
Absolutely, the study was clear on that. Stop using pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, full stop. It takes a season or two for the soil to recover, but you'll see more fireflies, bees, and other good bugs moving back in. Let the grass grow a bit longer and leave some leaf litter in the fall for their larvae. It's a slow fix, but it works.
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patricia_gonzalez13h ago
Yeah, the no chemicals thing is a huge start, but what about all the streetlights and porch lights we leave on all night? The study I saw said the light messes with their signals so they can't find each other to mate. We started turning off our outdoor lights at dusk and it felt weird at first, but we saw more within a couple weeks. It's like we have to make it dark for them again.
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