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Watch the Light Show
Look for males flashing as they fly and females twinkling in one place. See if you can figure out their flash patterns. Are they all one species or several different ones?
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Talk Back
Using a small flashlight, try imitating the patterns you see. If you flash the male’s pattern, a female may flash back. Try the female’s response; you may lure a male right to your fingertips!
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Catch and Release
For a close-up look, catch a few fireflies in a jar. Check them out and then let them go, of course.
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Be Firefly-Friendly
Make your neighborhood a good habitat for fireflies. Turn off bright outdoor lights, which “drown out” fireflies’ messages. Avoid lawn chemicals. Plant trees, shrubs, and grasses to provide places for the beetles to rest and hide. Then sit back and enjoy the light show!
