Some of the fondest memories of my German Shepherds were spending evenings in my backyard watching them chase lightning bugs in the warm South Dakota summer air. Seeing my furry kids doing their crazy bug chasing dances was pure delight and every time I see a firefly I think of those nights.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen a lot of fireflies lately. But apparently, I'm not the only one.

Fireflies, (aka lightning bugs, glow flies, moon bugs, etc.) have been on the decline over the years and their numbers have grown more scarce across the globe.

The reasons for this according to Farmer's Almanac and Firefly.org are basically three-fold 1) light pollution, 2) pesticide use, and 3) loss of habitat due to development. Fireflies are apparently very choosy about their living spaces and don't readily recover when their environment is messed with.

How to Help Fireflies Make a Comeback

• Plant a garden- You'll have pretty things to look at and firefly beetles feed on garden pests, so it's a win-win proposition
• Put a water feature in your garden - Water is a draw for fireflies and again they like to eat insects that thrive in ponds, streams, etc.
• Plant trees
• Turn your lights off at night - A lot of light confuses fireflies when they're mating.
• If you can, avoid using lawn chemicals - They negatively impact fireflies and their larvae
• If you have logs on your property, let them rot - Fireflies live in rotting logs, soil, mud, leaf litter, etc, as larvae for 95% of their life cycle.
• Don't over-mow your lawn
• If you have a property that allows for this, don't rake up and bag all of your leaves in the fall. Again firefly larvae thrive in that leafy, moist sort of environment.

For more information on what we can all do to help these beautiful creatures survive and thrive, check out Farmer's Almanac and Firefly.org.

Sources: Farmer's Almanac and Firefly.org