Scientists Shine Light World's Shrinking Firefly Population
- 14 years ago
Entomologists from around the world are gathered in Kuala Lumpur at the second International Firefly Symposium. The gathering aims to promote public awareness and the economic benefits of preserving more than 2,000 species of firefly for eco-tourism.
Thailand's Mae Klong River, like many waterways in Southeast Asia, has long been home to huge populations of fireflies. But over recent decades, the flickering of the fireflies, has been dimmed by human intervention.
It's a similar story along riverbanks in Selangor State in Malaysia. Urbanization and a growing agricultural sector are destroying the firefly's habitat and, down river in the capital Kuala Lumpur, experts are trying to resolve what they believe is a crisis.
The natural vegetation is where the younger lifecycle of fireflies, whereby the eggs larvae and pupae, they thrive and live in these conditions. So, without the natural vegetation, you can't have a complete lifecycle, whereby you don't have any more adults."
The second International Firefly Symposium has brought together entomologists from all over the world. It aims to promote public awareness and the economic benefits of preserving the world's more than 2,000 species of firefly for eco-tourism.
But they're fighting an uphill battle, particularly in developing countries where rapid urbanization is exposing river systems to soil erosion, pollution and light.
"Light is a pollutant for fireflies because they won't live, they won't fly, they won't mate in an area which is heavily lit. So sometimes the remedy is just the very simple matter of directing the lights in one direction and not the other."
The scientists admit though that such simple measures are often overlooked in areas where human populations are spreading. Apart from habitat preservation, they say their first priority will be to help those populations see the light before it's too late.
Thailand's Mae Klong River, like many waterways in Southeast Asia, has long been home to huge populations of fireflies. But over recent decades, the flickering of the fireflies, has been dimmed by human intervention.
It's a similar story along riverbanks in Selangor State in Malaysia. Urbanization and a growing agricultural sector are destroying the firefly's habitat and, down river in the capital Kuala Lumpur, experts are trying to resolve what they believe is a crisis.
The natural vegetation is where the younger lifecycle of fireflies, whereby the eggs larvae and pupae, they thrive and live in these conditions. So, without the natural vegetation, you can't have a complete lifecycle, whereby you don't have any more adults."
The second International Firefly Symposium has brought together entomologists from all over the world. It aims to promote public awareness and the economic benefits of preserving the world's more than 2,000 species of firefly for eco-tourism.
But they're fighting an uphill battle, particularly in developing countries where rapid urbanization is exposing river systems to soil erosion, pollution and light.
"Light is a pollutant for fireflies because they won't live, they won't fly, they won't mate in an area which is heavily lit. So sometimes the remedy is just the very simple matter of directing the lights in one direction and not the other."
The scientists admit though that such simple measures are often overlooked in areas where human populations are spreading. Apart from habitat preservation, they say their first priority will be to help those populations see the light before it's too late.