I think I have a memory of first seeing fireflies when I was a child wandering through a slightly wild garden on a hot summer’s evening somewhere in Ontario. I have to admit, though, that said ‘memory’ may be more of what psychologists call waking dream wish fulfillment. I’ve always really, really wanted to see fireflies. So I was floored when, just a couple of years ago (me well into my 60s), I discovered the real deal darting amongst the trees at our cottage on the Bruce Peninsula. Dreams do come true. Now I want to do everything I can to encourage them to come back.

Fireflies at dusk courtesy of Kiwi Chen from Pixabay.

Why fireflies are so great

Seeing those magical flickers of light darting about the shrubbery is incredibly special. Their appearance is undeniably magical. But they’re also a good sign for any gardener. That’s because:

• Firefly larvae eat snails and slugs. If you’re growing edibles, especially if you have a vegetable garden, you’ll want to do a happy dance if you see fireflies.
• Fireflies are great pollinators just like bees and hummingbirds.
• If you see fireflies you’ve basically got nature’s version of a thumbs up. You’re clearly doing good things.

But they still need our help. According to Xerces Society, as of 2021, 1 in 3 North American firefly species assessed may be at risk of extinction. That’s bad enough but there’s about 32 species found in Canada alone. Those are not great odds.

How to attract fireflies

GIVE THEM SHELTER ALL SEASON LONG: Leafy shrubs and tall ornamental grasses are exactly what fireflies love to snuggle into when not putting on a light show. Bonus points if those shrubs and grasses occupy a shadier part of your garden.

GO ALL NATURAL: Fireflies are highly susceptible to pesticides/insecticides. And plant as many native plants (including grasses, flowers and shrubs) as you can. Native flowers that are particularly attractive to fireflies include:

• Penstemon
• Asters
• Monarda
• Cardinal flowers
• Goldenrod

A fun native shrub to plant that’s a firefly magnet is Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).

FAVOUR SHRUBS THAT LEAF UP RIGHT TO THE GROUND: Firefly females hang out in low hanging leafiness while the males do their flashy thing so shrubs that are full and leafy right to the ground are ideal. Shrubs with long, bare legs are elegant but fireflies won’t be interested.

SET UP A THIRST QUENCHER: Just like the birds and the bees, fireflies need a source of moisture. If you’ve read my post Bees Have A Drinking Problem, you’ll know what to do.

What not to do

DON’T LEAVE YOUR OUTDOOR LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT: No matter how lovely your outdoor garden light set up might be, it’s light pollution that fireflies can’t tolerate. It confuses them and makes it difficult for them to see each other’s teeny tiny lights and identify their flash patterns. June and July are particularly important months for mating fireflies so try to keep your garden dark as much as you can during these two months.

DON’T CROWD THEM: If you spot some fireflies in your garden, make a note of where they seem to appear most frequently and try to keep that area as quiet as possible. Frequent traffic, kids playing in the area and lots of pruning and preening of flower beds nearby will discourage them. Try delegating the area as a quiet zone for your flickering friends.

NO ZAPPING: As richly satisfying as it is to use a bug zapper, don’t. You’ll never know if you just zapped the very thing you’re trying to welcome.

DON’T CLEAN UP THE ENTIRE GARDEN IN AUTUMN: Leaf litter is a crucial shelter for a lot of beneficial insects including fireflies.

And you can always hope

Interestingly, the spot where we had fireflies congregating at our cottage is just about the exact opposite of a shrub and grasses-filled garden. They loved a particularly dense, dark spot under a tight grouping of pine trees. As it turns out, that sort of woodland habitat is another terrific firefly-friendly situation. The thickly knitted-together branches of the trees provided the cooling shade and darkness fireflies love and the carpet of needles on the ground are ideal for firefly larvae.

I say this all in the past tense because, sadly, I haven’t spotted a firefly there for the last two summers. I keep looking, though. And hoping.