Search for the ‘Earthly Stars’
written by: Nishand Venugopal
@nvgpal79
‘Twinkle, Twinkle, ‘earthly stars,’
Now I wonder where they are,
The mention of these fireflies brings back those wonderful childhood memories,
How their glimmer during night adorned some small plants and huge trees….’
When I was a kid, near my home in Kerala I used to see some fireflies during the night. Even when there were lights around the house, there used to be gardens or small patches of vegetation where the lights wouldn’t fall and you might find these shimmering bugs.
But now when I look for them in a busy city like Delhi, it is quite impossible to locate a spot that has vegetation and is not covered in light, so the fireflies seem to have vanished from these places. Many in the younger generation know about fireflies only through pictures and videos provided by digital devices but can’t observe them in their natural habitats.
Some may even consider that fireflies are only seen in protected forests, wetlands, etc. This ignorance may lead to apathy towards these species and also can destroy these insects’ last strongholds inside the human habitations. ‘Light pollution’ as many might say is not only harming migratory birds but also tiny insects like fireflies disrupting their behaviour and mating rituals. But that’s not the only problem that these bugs face.
‘Facing the challenges from climate change to habitat destruction,
Other dangers include lack of suitable food for larva and pollution,
These tiny insects have nowhere to go,
Harmful man-made chemicals have put their future generations on death row…’
Their larvae as predators have voracious appetites and can feed on various species including some pest species that harm plants. Unless we provide a favourable environment for the fireflies to thrive, it will be difficult for them to survive. First, we need to create awareness about these species. Citizen science has an important role to play in this endeavour.
We must remember the fact that every species has an important role to play in the ecosystem. It is time people are educated to look for them, observe them, and record their presence so that necessary steps can be taken to conserve the firefly species. So here are the points to ponder…
‘Moist grounds and leaf litters are their domain,
Efforts are now necessary to protect all the firefly species that remain,
From involvement in citizen science initiatives to mindful use of artificial lights,
There are many things we can do to save these species in their viable sites…’
I am glad to see that now some efforts are being made to create awareness among the public regarding fireflies, their behaviour patterns, and their habitats. Clearly this is a good step forward to protect these species. As my search for observing these bioluminescent bugs continues, all that I can wish for right now is this…
‘Twinkle, Twinkle, earthly stars,
Stay safe and thrive wherever you are…’
Amateur Nature Photographer...Happy to click moments that matter and loves to share and educate about it. Trying to do some bit in conserving nature. Volunteering for WWF and an occasional traveller...
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