Editing Firefly (section)

=== Conservation ===

[[File:Fireflies, Georgia, US.jpg|thumb|center|upright=3.6|Fireflies in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia (USA)]], 8-second exposure]]

Firefly populations are thought to be declining worldwide. While monitoring data for many regions are scarce, a growing number of anecdotal reports, coupled with several published studies from Europe and Asia, suggest that fireflies are endangered.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Atkins |first1=Val |last2=Bell |first2=Dolly |last3=Bowker |first3=Ann |last4=Charig |first4=Marcus |last5=Crew |first5=June |last6=Dale |first6=Martin |last7=Hickmott |first7=Bill |last8=Payne |first8=Barbara |last9=Pendleton |first9=Dilys |last10=Pendleton |first10=Trevor |last11=Robinson |first11=Martin |display-authors=3 |date=2016 |title=The status of the glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca L. (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) in England |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333000808 |journal=Lampyrid |volume=4 |pages=20–35}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gardiner |first1=Tim |last2=Didham |first2=Raphael K. |date=2020 |title=Glowing, glowing, gone? Monitoring long-term trends in glow-worm numbers in south-east England |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/icad.12407 |journal=Insect Conservation and Diversity |language=en |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=162–174 |doi=10.1111/icad.12407 |s2cid=216387774 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Khoo |first1=Veronica |last2=Nada |first2=B. |last3=Kirton |first3=L. G. |last4=Chooi-Khim |first4=Phon |display-authors=3 |date=2009 |title=Monitoring the population of the firefly Pteroptyx tener along the Selangor River, Malaysia for conservation and sustainable ecotourism |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285742573 |journal=Lampyrid |volume=2 |pages=162–173}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wong |first1=C. |last2=Yeap |first2=C. A. |date=2012 |title=Conservation of congregating firefly zones (CFZs) in peninsular Malaysia |journal=Lampyrid |volume=2 |pages=174–187}}</ref> Recent [[IUCN Red List]] assessments for North American fireflies have identified species with heightened extinction risk in the US, with 18 taxa categorized as threatened with extinction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Latest Update to the IUCN Red List Includes First Global Assessments for Fireflies, with a Spotlight on North America {{!}} Xerces Society |url=https://xerces.org/blog/iucn-red-list-assess-fireflies |access-date=2021-10-12 |website=xerces.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fallon |first1=Candace E. |last2=Walker |first2=Anna C. |last3=Lewis |first3=Sara |last4=Cicero |first4=Joseph |last5=Faust |first5=Lynn |last6=Heckscher |first6=Christopher M. |last7=Pérez-Hernández |first7=Cisteil X. |last8=Pfeiffer |first8=Ben |last9=Jepsen |first9=Sarina |display-authors=3 |date=2021-11-17 |title=Evaluating firefly extinction risk: Initial red list assessments for North America |journal=[[PLOS One]] |volume=16 |issue=11 |pages=e0259379 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0259379 |pmid=34788329 |pmc=8598072 |bibcode=2021PLoSO..1659379F |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Fireflies face threats including habitat loss and degradation, [[light pollution]], [[pesticide]] use, poor water quality, invasive species, over-collection, and [[climate change]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lewis |first1=Sara M. |last2=Wong |first2=Choong Hay |last3=Owens |first3=Avalon C. S. |last4=Fallon |first4=Candace |last5=Jepsen |first5=Sarina |last6=Thancharoen |first6=Anchana |last7=Wu |first7=Chiahsiung |last8=De Cock |first8=Raphael |last9=Novák |first9=Martin |last10=López-Palafox |first10=Tania |last11=Khoo |first11=Veronica |display-authors=3 |date=1 February 2020 |title=A Global Perspective on Firefly Extinction Threats |journal=[[BioScience]] |volume=70 |issue=2 |pages=157–167 |doi=10.1093/biosci/biz157 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Firefly tourism, a quickly growing sector of the travel and tourism industry, has also been identified as a potential threat to fireflies and their habitats when not managed appropriately.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lewis |first1=Sara M. |last2=Thancharoen |first2=Anchana |last3=Wong |first3=Choong Hay |last4=López-Palafox |first4=Tania |last5=Santos |first5=Paola Velasco |last6=Wu |first6=Chiahsiung |last7=Faust |first7=Lynn |last8=Cock |first8=Raphaël De |last9=Owens |first9=Avalon C. S. |last10=Lemelin |first10=R. Harvey |last11=Gurung |first11=Hum |display-authors=3 |date=2021 |title=Firefly tourism: Advancing a global phenomenon toward a brighter future |journal=Conservation Science and Practice |volume=3 |issue=5 |pages=e391 |doi=10.1111/csp2.391 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2021ConSP...3E.391L |hdl=10067/1773950151162165141 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Like many other organisms, fireflies are directly affected by land-use change (e.g., loss of habitat area and connectivity), which is identified as the main driver of [[biodiversity]] changes in terrestrial ecosystems.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sala |first1=Osvaldo E. |last2=Chapin |first2=F. Stuart III |last3=Armesto |first3=Juan J. |last4=Berlow |first4=Eric |last5=Bloomfield |first5=Janine |last6=Dirzo |first6=Rodolfo |last7=Huber-Sanwald |first7=Elisabeth |last8=Huenneke |first8=Laura F. |display-authors=3 |date=2000-03-10 |title=Global Biodiversity Scenarios for the Year 2100 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=287 |issue=5459 |pages=1770–1774 |doi=10.1126/science.287.5459.1770 |pmid=10710299|bibcode=2000Sci...287.1770S |s2cid=13336469 }}</ref> Pesticides, including [[insecticide]]s and [[herbicide]]s, have also been indicated as a likely cause of firefly decline.<ref>Potter, Daniel A. See [https://www.firefly.org/how-you-can-help.html "How You Can Help"], FireFly.org, citing (1) "Understanding Halofenozide (Mach 2) and Imidacloprid (Merit) Soil Insecticides," International SportsTurf Institute, Incorporated, Turfax, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jan-Feb 1998) and (2) "Relative Toxicities of Chemicals to the Earthworm Eisenia foetida," by Brian L. Roberts and H. Wyman Dorough. Article first published online: 20 October 2009. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan. 1984), pp. 67–78.</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last1=Fallon |first1=Candace |last2=Hoyle |first2=Sarah |last3=Lewis |first3=Sara |last4=Owens |first4=Avalon |last5=Lee-Mader |first5=Eric |last6=Hoffman Black |first6=Scott |last7=Jepsen |first7=Sarina |display-authors=3 |year=2019 |title=Conserving the Jewels of the Night: Guidelines for Protecting Fireflies in the United States and Canada |url=https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/19-049_01_Firefly%20guidelines_web.pdf |access-date=2021-06-23 |website=The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation |location=Portland, Oregon |page=}}</ref> These chemicals can not only harm fireflies directly but also potentially reduce prey populations and degrade habitat. Light pollution is an especially concerning threat to fireflies. Since the majority of firefly species use bioluminescent courtship signals,<ref name="Lloyd 1989 373">{{Cite journal |last1=Lloyd |first1=James E. |last2=Wing |first2=Steven R. |last3=Hongtrakul |first3=Tawatchai |title=Ecology, Flashes, and Behavior of Congregating Thai Fireflies |journal=[[Biotropica]] |volume=21 |issue=4 |doi=10.2307/2388290 |pages=373 |jstor=2388290 |year=1989|bibcode=1989Biotr..21..373L }}</ref> they are also sensitive to environmental levels of light and consequently to [[light pollution]].<ref name="Lloyd 1989 373"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Viviani |first1=Vadim Ravara |last2=Rocha |first2=Mayra Yamazaki |last3=Hagen |first3=Oskar |date=June 2010 |title=Fauna de besouros bioluminescentes (Coleoptera: Elateroidea: Lampyridae; Phengodidae, Elateridae) nos municípios de Campinas, Sorocaba-Votorantim e Rio Claro-Limeira (SP, Brasil): biodiversidade e influência da urbanização |journal=Biota Neotropica |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=103–116 |doi=10.1590/s1676-06032010000200013 |doi-access=free}}</ref> A growing number of studies investigating the effects of artificial light at night on fireflies has shown that light pollution can disrupt fireflies' courtship signals and even interfere with larval dispersal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Firebaugh |first1=Ariel |last2=Haynes |first2=Kyle J. |date=2016-12-01 |title=Experimental tests of light-pollution impacts on nocturnal insect courtship and dispersal |journal=[[Oecologia]] |volume=182 |issue=4 |pages=1203–1211 |doi=10.1007/s00442-016-3723-1 |pmid=27646716 |bibcode=2016Oecol.182.1203F |s2cid=36670391}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Owens |first1=Avalon Celeste Stevahn |last2=Meyer-Rochow |first2=Victor Benno |last3=Yang |first3=En-Cheng |date=7 February 2018 |title=Short- and mid-wavelength artificial light influences the flash signals of Aquatica ficta fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=e0191576 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0191576 |pmid=29415023 |pmc=5802884 |bibcode=2018PLoSO..1391576O |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Owens |first1=Avalon C. S. |last2=Lewis |first2=Sara M. |date=2021 |title=Narrow-spectrum artificial light silences female fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/icad.12487 |journal=Insect Conservation and Diversity |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=199–210 |doi=10.1111/icad.12487 |s2cid=232246018 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Owens |first1=Avalon C. S. |last2=Lewis |first2=Sara M. |date=2021 |title=Effects of artificial light on growth, development, and dispersal of two North American fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S002219102100010X |journal=Journal of Insect Physiology |volume=130 |pages=104200 |doi=10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104200 |pmid=33607160 |bibcode=2021JInsP.13004200O |s2cid=231969942|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Researchers agree that protecting and enhancing firefly habitat is necessary to conserve their populations. Recommendations include reducing or limiting artificial light at night, restoring habitats where threatened species occur, and eliminating unnecessary pesticide use, among many others.<ref name=":3"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=How You Can Help Prevent Fireflies from Disappearing |url=https://www.firefly.org/how-you-can-help.html |access-date=12 October 2021 |website=Firefly.org }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How You Can Help |publisher=[[Xerces Society]] |url=https://xerces.org/endangered-species/fireflies/how-you-can-help |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>

Sundarbans Firefly Sanctuary in [[Bangladesh]] was established in 2019.