How Native Prairie and Wildflowers Can Save Our Fireflies

I was walking across our small town with my wife a few nights ago, and a saw a lone firefly. This triggered memories that were so pleasant, almost magical, of growing up in the country on a prairie farm. As I looked around for more fireflies, I saw none. I felt sad… almost alone. I suppose that is how my little firefly friend felt.

Many, many Midwesterners share a similar memory of the optical chorus of fireflies blinking across the horizon every summer evening. But across the region, these magical lights are dimming. A 2019 study in BioScience highlighted the dire situation, with experts ranking habitat loss as the number one threat to fireflies globally. In the United States and Canada alone, it's estimated that at least 14 species of fireflies are threatened with extinction, a figure that only scratches the surface due to data deficiencies for many more species. The culprit behind this decline in our backyards is closer than we think: the disappearance of our native flora.

The Midwest was once a sea of tallgrass prairie, with less than 0.1% of Iowa's original prairie now remaining. This loss of over 30 million acres in that state alone is mirrored across the region, replaced by agriculture and manicured lawns. This landscape transformation is devastating for fireflies, who spend up to two years of their life as larvae in the soil. These larval fireflies are not the gentle grazers we might imagine; they are voracious predators of snails, slugs, and worms. Without the shelter and moisture provided by native plant communities, this vital food source vanishes.

So what can we do about it?

This is where native plants become our greatest allies. Planting native prairie grass and wildflowers is a direct investment in the firefly life cycle. Native grasses like Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Eastern Gamagrass, Sideoats Grama, Indiangrass, and Switchgrass create the perfect environment for adult fireflies. By day, they provide crucial shelter from predators and the hot summer sun. By night, these tall stalks become the stage for their luminous courtship rituals, offering prime locations for males to perch and flash their signals to awaiting females.

Beneath these grasses, a layer of diverse native wildflowers supports the entire ecosystem. The leaf litter and root systems of plants like Pale Purple Coneflower, Blazing Stars, Wild Bergamot, Black-Eyed Susan, Purple Prairie Clover, Maximilian’s Sunflower, New England Aster, Goldenrods, Milkweed, and Cup Plant create a humid microclimate at the soil level. This environment is a haven for the soft-bodied invertebrates that firefly larvae depend on. The Cup Plant is particularly beneficial, as its leaves form a natural basin that collects rainwater, offering a direct water source for fireflies and their prey.

The impact of reintroducing native plants is not just theoretical. Research has shown that creating even small pockets of native habitat can have a significant effect. A study on organic farms, which often incorporate native plant buffers, found they support up to 30% more biodiversity than conventional farms. By converting a portion of your lawn—a virtual food desert for most wildlife—into a haven of native species, you are directly rebuilding the food web that fireflies rely on.

We have the power to bring back the twinkle to our summer nights. It begins by looking past the manicured lawn and embracing the wild beauty of our Midwestern heritage. By planting Big Bluestem, Purple Coneflower, and other native flora, we are not just gardening; we are granting our friendly fireflies another chance to thrive along side us.

Looking for native seed to help the fire flies? We can help you! Check out our native prairie shop!