CLEVELAND, Ohio — One of the hardest tasks for many gardeners is simply sitting down and enjoying the garden they have worked so hard to create, but the recent heat wave has made it difficult to do much else in Northeast Ohio.
On these warm July evenings, you may find yourself relaxing outdoors with a cold drink and be treated to a light show, courtesy of the neighborhood fireflies.
Or perhaps you’re among those who say, “I don’t see fireflies anymore like I did when I was a kid.”
The good news is that fireflies are still very much a part of Northeast Ohio summers. While their numbers have declined in some areas, the difference often comes down to habitat. In fact, one of the simplest things you can do to encourage more fireflies next year is to leave your fallen leaves this fall.
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Leaf litter provides safety and moisture to fireflies.Susan Brownstein
Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, are beetles that spend most of their lives out of sight. While the flashing adults get all the love, firefly larvae may spend as long as two years living on the ground. The spend that time in leaf litter feeding on snails, slugs, and other small invertebrates before emerging as adults for a few glorious weeks each summer.
A property with mature trees, shrubs, native plantings, and naturalized areas offers far more opportunities for fireflies than a lawn that is closely mowed from fence line to fence line. Even mowing the lawn a little higher and leaving the clippings can help firefly survival.
Moist habitats with leaf litter provide ideal habitat during the firefly’s two year larval stage.Susan Brownstein
Moisture is another necessity. Woodland edges and rain gardens that never quite dry out are ideal spots for a firefly nursery. (During long droughts, firefly numbers may be lower because both larvae and their prey thrive in moist conditions.)
Artificial light also discourages fireflies, because they communicate through light signals. Each species produces a unique flash pattern, and when bright outdoor lighting interferes with these signals, adults have trouble finding mates. Romance blossoms for many species when the lights are low.
Leaving the leaves brings joy to children and fireflies to your yard.Susan Brownstein
There is no quick fix that will bring fireflies to your yard tonight, but small decisions throughout the year can make a landscape more welcoming. In spring, consider adding native trees, shrubs, and perennial flowers that support a diverse food web. During summer, allow portions of the yard to grow a little taller and avoid unnecessary pesticide applications. In autumn, leave fallen leaves rather than blowing and bagging them all for disposal. Over the winter, resist the urge to cut every stem to the ground. Standing vegetation provides shelter for many beneficial insects.
For gardeners who would like help transforming their property into a more wildlife-friendly landscape, a local resource is available. Nature in My Backyard, a program affiliated with the Audobon Society, offers free native habitat consultations throughout Cuyahoga County. Volunteers visit your property, identify invasive plants, and recommend native plants that can thrive in your location.
The program focuses on creating and improving habitat at the landscape level, not troubleshooting individual plant problems. To learn more about the program and what to expect from a consultation, visit https://natureinmybackyard.ohionativeplants.org/. Openings are available through October.
You don’t need to turn your entire yard into a meadow or woodland, but with a few thoughtful changes, it could become a place where fireflies light up summer evenings for years to come.
Free webinar on native ferns. Ferns have been growing on Earth for hundreds of millions of years, long before dinosaurs appeared. Their feathery foliage and ancient origins give shady gardens a mysterious, almost prehistoric feel.
Native ferns will be the topic of the next free webinar in the Nature in My Backyard series. In the Garden with Some Good Fronds: Garden-worthy Native Ferns, will be held Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at noon. Presenter Steve McKee, a botanist and former director of the Richland County Park District, has spent nearly 50 years studying ferns and growing more than 20 species of native ferns in his Ohio gardens. Now retired, he continues to search for rare ferns in Ohio and Utah, where he volunteers as a botanist for Zion National Park. His presentation will highlight native ferns that can thrive in Ohio gardens and add beauty, texture, and ecological value to the landscape. Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/5H68WG_7SP61xdiAkYUbFA#/registration.
If you have a gardening question, story, or event, email me at sbrownstein216@gmail.com
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