Where did all the fireflies go?
Adam South ’01, like many other firefly scientists, has been wondering the same thing. There is some anecdotal evidence that the populations of the winking, blinking insects have diminished, but there is no hard data yet to support that claim. South, a doctoral candidate in biology at Tufts University and a researcher in the area of firefly sexual selection, has teamed with colleagues at Fitchburg State College and Boston’s Museum of Science to create a Firefly Watch. Individuals are encouraged to combine the summertime ritual of watching fireflies with a bit of scientific research. Participants record data on observation sheets and then upload the information to a Web site managed by the museum. While the project began with a focus on New England, it is the only endeavor of its kind in North America, and participants have provided data from as far away a Minnesota and Texas. “The Web site was designed in a way that would allow data to be contributed from anywhere,” notes South. “If th
