There are a few childhood summer activities that stay with you forever. Catching fireflies is right up there with running through sprinklers, eating popsicles, and staying outside till someone finally hollers for you to come in for dinner.
Fireflies—or lightning bugs, depending on where you grew up—have a way of making an ordinary summer night feel completely magical. Ree Drummond has always loved seeing them flicker around the ranch at dusk, and really, who could blame her? There’s just something about those tiny blinking lights that stops you in your tracks. Even grown adults who have laundry to fold and emails to answer can get a little dreamy about fireflies. It’s allowed!
Of course, for a lot of kids, seeing fireflies leads very quickly to wanting to catch ‘em. And that usually leads to a jar. And that usually leads to someone poking holes in the lid because that’s what people have done forever. But it turns out that the old poke-holes-in-the-lid trick may not be as helpful as we thought. In fact, if the holes are punched the wrong way, the sharp metal edges can actually hurt the fireflies inside.
So before you hand over a jar and send the kids into the yard, here’s what to know about catching fireflies safely—and why the best way to enjoy them might be to simply watch the show.
It’s Better to Watch Than Catch
The sweetest way to enjoy fireflies is also the easiest: Let them blink and flutter around on their own.
“It’s better to observe fireflies than to catch them,” says Bob Gilbert, MS, PHE, BCE, a Board Certified Entomologist and staff entomologist with Blue Sky Pest Control.
That might feel like disappointing news if you grew up gently scooping fireflies into a jar and setting them on the porch for a few minutes. But Gilbert says fireflies are delicate insects, and many populations are already dealing with pressure from habitat loss, light pollution, pesticide use, climate change, poor water quality, and other environmental changes.
Light pollution is a big one, because many fireflies rely on their flash patterns to find mates. In other words, all that blinking isn’t just for our viewing pleasure. It’s firefly business. Very important firefly business!
If You Use a Jar, Be Careful with the Lid
If children are going to catch fireflies, Gilbert says it should be done gently and briefly. A clean glass jar with a lid is fine for short observation, but the lid is where things can go wrong.
“If holes are punched in the lid, punch them from the inside out so the sharp edges point away from the insects,” Gilbert says.
That tiny detail shouldn’t be overlooked! When holes are poked from the outside in, the sharp metal edges can point down into the jar, where the fireflies may crawl or bump against them. Since fireflies are so fragile, those rough edges can injure them. Gilbert also recommends placing a piece of cheesecloth or fine screen under the lid for an added layer of protection.
In other words, the goal isn’t to create a tiny firefly obstacle course. It’s to give kids a short, close-up look without hurting the little bugs in the process.
Make the Jar Safe and Simple
A firefly jar doesn’t need to be fancy. In fact, it shouldn’t be fancy! Gilbert recommends putting a slightly moist, crumpled paper towel inside the jar. That gives the firefly something to crawl on and helps keep the jar from becoming too dry.
What should you skip? Sticky foods, sugar water, and too much plant material. A jar is meant for very short observation, not long-term captivity. Fireflies don’t need a buffet, a centerpiece, or a whole landscaping plan in there. The simpler the setup, the better.
Catch Fireflies Gently
The safest way to catch a firefly is to gently cup it in your hands and let it move into the jar on its own. Don’t pinch it, shake it, or grab it by the wings.
Also, try not to shine bright flashlights right at them. Fireflies use their light to communicate, so bright lights can disrupt their natural flashing behavior. Keep the jar in the dark as much as possible and resist the urge to inspect it under the porch light every few seconds. (Yes, this is hard for children. It’s also hard for some adults. Curiosity is a powerful force.)
Don’t Keep Them Long
This is the part that matters most: Fireflies should be released the same night.
Gilbert says to catch only one or a few fireflies, not a jar full, and keep them for a short time. “Minutes are better than hours,” he says, adding that they should never be kept longer than 24 hours. When it’s time to let them go, release them at night in the same place they were found. Open the jar and let them leave on their own—don’t shake them out or pull them out by hand.
How to Help Fireflies Stick Around
If you’d like to see more fireflies in your yard, Gilbert says a few simple landscaping choices can help. He recommends keeping part of the yard a little wild, planting native vegetation, maintaining some moist habitat, avoiding pesticides, and reducing unnecessary outdoor lighting. Even small adjustments can make your yard a better place for fireflies to live, flash, and find each other.
And if you’re lucky enough to have fireflies around, it’s worth slowing down when they show up. Let them blink across the grass, let the kids watch for a while, and let the jar stay empty every now and then. A whole yard full of tiny lights is a pretty good reminder that some summer traditions are even better when you don’t try to hold on to them for too long!
