Naturalist's Corner - Firefly Time

It's the height of the firefly season. What's the scoop on these insects and their flickering, flitting flight paths - and how can we ensure that they remain an annual summer delight?  I bring together two like-minded takes on this -one from a naturalist and one from a conservation organization for the skinny on fireflies.

Pamela Miller is a wonderful MN Master Naturalist volunteer at Frontenac State Park Association. She is a font of information on fungi, prairies and so much about our natural world. In fact you can join a fungi hike guided by Pam at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 18 at Frontenac State Park.  Pam is anlso editor of the Frontenac State Park Association's newsletter. Each month the newsletter is full of interesting science articles and observations, updates on the park, events, poems and pictures of the natural abundance at the state park. I was delighted to see an article in the July edition on fireflies which are having their moment in the evening and night and thought you'd enjoy it. 

Those Little Lights in the Summer Dusk

Pamela Miller  

Frontenac State Park Association Newsletter, July, 2026.

Insects are vital to life on Earth, but we, in our human Umwelt (a German word meaning the world as it is perceived by a particular organism), appreciate some more than others. Along with butterflies, dragonflies and (real) ladybugs, fireflies, which emerge in June and blink through July, delight us.

What’s going on there? Entomologists tell us that the flying males use their abdomen lights to attract females nestled in the vegetation below. If the female likes what she sees, she responds with her own light, and mating commences. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota is home to many native species of fireflies (family Lampyridae – get it? lamps!). Those that fly at dusk flash yellow, while those active in the dark glow green. Watching — and perhaps chasing — fireflies is a wonderful way to help children discover beauty in nature.

But fireflies are under a grave threat from habitat loss and light pollution. Ways to help them thrive? Leave leaf litter in your yard in the fall. Plant native plants. And turn off your outdoor lights at night.

Recently Lights Out Wisconsin, a coalition of Wisconsin conservation groups and dark sky organizations working together to reduce the impacts of light pollution on people, wildlife and the night sky, put out an important press release. I am so happy to include their piece on fireflies as well and the importance of our human interactions needed to keep the glow going.

Turn down the lights to turn up the glow!

Lights Out Wisconsin press release June 12, 2026

 Peak firefly season in Wisconsin runs from mid-June through late July, but many species can be seen from May through the end of August.

Lights Out Wisconsin is urging everyone to turn off or dim non-essential outdoor lights and close window shades from sunset to sunrise to help fireflies communicate and reproduce.

For many of us, fireflies are a cherished part of summer. Unfortunately, many species are declining, and it is estimated that at least 14% of firefly species are threatened. Habitat loss, light pollution, and pesticide use are considered some of the greatest threats to firefly populations.

One of the most immediate ways you can help is by reducing artificial light at night. Fireflies use flashing signals to communicate and find mates, but outdoor lighting can obscure these signals, making it harder for fireflies to reproduce successfully. Turning off non-essential outdoor lights and reducing nighttime brightness can help ensure their signals are seen.

Other ways to support fireflies:

• Leaving the leaves: Fireflies spend much of their lives in leaf litter and soil, leaving some leaves and natural debris provides important habitat for developing fireflies.
• Avoiding pesticides: Pesticides can harm fireflies directly and limit the availability of other invertebrates they depend on for food.
• Keeping some natural areas in your yard: Native plants, and less-managed areas provide shelter and habitat throughout the firefly life cycle.

Learn more on the Lights Out Wisconsin website.

Become a Volunteer Water Monitor

Exciting Volunteer Opportunity for Community Members

Spring is here and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Volunteer Water Monitoring Program is gearing up for another great season of lake and stream water clarity monitoring across the state. With more than 92,000 miles of streams and over 12,000 lakes in Minnesota, more volunteer monitors are needed to help track the health of our waters.

How does it work?
Volunteers conduct a simple water clarity test in a body of water at least twice a month during the summer. We provide all the equipment and training for free, so no experience is needed. Lake monitors boat or paddle to a designated spot in the lake to check the clarity, while stream monitors record data from the streambank or a bridge crossing.

The MPCA uses the volunteer-collected data to help determine whether lakes and streams are meeting water quality standards, designed to protect aquatic life and recreational activities (like fishing and swimming). In some cases, the information gathered by volunteers is the only monitoring done on a particular lake or stream, making volunteer gather data critical to our work to protect Minnesota waters.

Volunteer Story: A family affair
For the past 36 years, checking Long Lake’s water clarity often involves the whole family for volunteer water monitor Sheri Berg. First, her children helped her check the clarity of the lake in the Detroit Lakes area, and now her grandchildren accompany her.

“They all know how to do it, and sometimes we all go out together on the pontoon,” Berg said.

When they started taking measurements in the mid-1980s, clarity in Long Lake was about 16-17 feet, but it gradually worsened, declining to about 11-12 feet, until recently when it improved again. This was a few years after most of the homes on the lake hooked up to the city sewer.

“We don’t know why but the lake is much clearer now. We even had to ask them to send us a longer rope since we ran out at 25 feet and could still see the disk!” Berg said.

Berg retired from state employment a few years ago after working almost the same number of years as the family has been volunteer monitors. “I probably won’t ever ‘retire’ from monitoring,” Berg says. “We will likely continue to do it because the kids and grandkids love doing it so much, and I’m always curious how the lake is doing.”

Gain experience
This is the perfect opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts and those interested in protecting our state’s natural resources! We’d be happy to provide a certificate, letter and/or resume/cover letter language at the end of each monitoring season you participate in to verify your participation in the program.

Interested?

Head to www.mn.gov/volunteerwater to locate open volunteer sites near you and learn more about this important program. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like further information on the program at watervolunteers.mpca@state.mn.us.

[Correction for blog subscribers on the previous post from March 19: I inadvertently moved the decimal point on the trail mileages for Ni Tani and Xe Xete trails in that post. I have edited the post to reflect their correct mileage (.37 mi and .39 miles, respectively). Thanks to Sue K for her sharp eye!]

Thaw Time, Big Time - Spare the Trails

Just a quick check-in to everyone. With these unbelievably beautiful temps, I know we all want to get out on the trails. But hold off on woods and bluff trails that are soft or muddy please. 

Together, the city of La Crescent, city of La Crosse and ORA all shared the same message yesterday.

If you find sloppy, muddy trails, below is a list I recently shared of nearby trails to try instead.

Here are some Driftless area hiking alternatives to try during winter thaws. These trails feature grass, gravel, asphalt or concrete trails. They give us a chance to still experience the outdoors and nature while preserving trails. Thanks to my hiking buddies Nola Larson and Kris Lawson for their input to this list.

• Goose Island Park along the roads near Wigwam Slough and down the slough trail south of the campground.
• La Crosse Marsh Trails (access points include Myrick Park near the dog park on N. East St off  La Crosse St or by the Nature Place; or at Riverside International Garden for paved trail.
• Chad Erickson Park, La Crosse
• Riverside Park, La Crosse
• Pettibone Park roads, La Crosse
• Lytle's Landing, Brice Prairie (or other sections of graveled bike trails - be aware that some sections get gooey/muddy)
• Dresbach MN Hwy 90 Rest Stop - walk behind the building on the plaza and loop down to the river or hike on the shared trail past the MN sign to Dresbach, or walk down to the Lock and Dam along the road, or walk under the Hwy 90 bridge along the road down to the boat launch
• Reno Spillway
• Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Visitor Center, Brice Prairie
• Apple Blossom Overlook Park, Dakota MN
• Maglessen Bluff, Rushford MN - drive to the top and walk along the paved road and grassy area to overlooks
• Sugar Creek Bluff, Ferryville WI
• McGilvrey 7 Bridges, New Amsterdam WI
• Halfway Creek Park, Holmen WI
• Holland Sand Prairie, Holland WI
• Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge trails (especially the dike trails), Trempealeau WI
• Lake Park Walk, Winona MN
• Pammel Creek Trail, La Crosse WI - while you can jump on this sidewalk along the creek anywhere, a great spot is at the Shelby Hillview baseball field which has a large parking lot next to the trail.
• Veteran's Park, West Salem, WI - hike park and connect up to the La Crosse River State Trail
• Wagon Wheel Trail, La Crescent MN
• Perrot State Park - walk the campground; Black Walnut and Riverview trails may be accessible too.