A windless, balmy night in summer is the ideal time to discover the little glowing bugs: fireflies enchant the night like little fairy lights.

When and where can you observe fireflies?

You can still observe the little guys until the beginning of August. They come out from nightfall and they stay until midnight. Mostly they show up near water bodies, i.e. ponds or river banks. But also forest edges and meadows are a good starting point for observations.

Did you know?

Fireflies (german: glow worms) are not worms, but beetles. However, the wingless females resemble worms, hence the name. Of the more than 2000 species worldwide, there are three in Germany, where again only the males of one species glow: those of the Small Firefly. So if you observe the flying fairy lights, they are male Small Fireflies.

Why do fireflies glow?

Like so often in the animal kingdom, glowing serves to attract sexual partners. The female squats on an elevated point and waits for her glow to attract males.

The light, by the way, is caused by a biochemical reaction in the abdomen.

A garden for fireflies:

• Starting in June, leave the grass long
• Leave small piles of branches and twigs as hiding places for the larvae
• Do not scatter snail poison; snails are the main food source for firefly larvae
• Reduce artificial lighting