Firefly populations have hit historically low numbers in Louisiana and other parts of the country where fireflies are native. The Town of Jean Lafitte has reached out to the LSU AgCenter to work on a plan to re-establish firefly populations in the Wetland Trace boardwalk trail. Aaron Ashbrook, the urban and peri-urban extension entomologist at the LSU AgCenter, says part of that plan involves planting 375 native plants within a 1,500 square-foot area.
“We’ve followed some of the guidelines by the Xerces Society, and other literature sources, to try to implement some new habitat within the Jean Lafitte Barataria,” Ashbrook said.
Ashbrook says fireflies are a major part of Louisiana’s culture.
“Many people would travel, in the past, to these locations to see fireflies. And firefly tourism is an activity that people engage in,” Ashbrook said.
Ashbrook says besides being a part of people’s childhoods, fireflies also provide benefits to the ecosystem.
“They actually eat things that we don’t particularly like too much. They eat a lot of slugs and snails. Sometimes they can be problematic for our gardens,” Ashbrook explained.
Pesticides, urban development, invasive insects and light pollution are all cited as reasons for the significant drop in firefly population.