Fireflies will soon shine in Vienna: This is how you create their habitat!

Fireflies will soon shine in Vienna: This is how you create their habitat!

In a few days it will be that time again: around St. John's Day on June 24th, the night skies over Vienna will be illuminated by the fascinating lights of fireflies. These enchanting beetles, also known as St. John's beetles or fireflies, are a truly magical spectacle and an indicator of the health of our natural environment. [MeinBezirk] reports that sightings of fireflies can be reported on the “Umweltberatung” website in order to document their distribution in Vienna.

But what are fireflies actually? Wrongly referred to as worms, they are beetles. Three species of these fireflies can be found in Austria, which have an ideal habitat in well-structured, natural habitats such as gardens and parks. The glow that we admire so much is primarily used to find a partner - an almost romantic act of nature. [Environmental advice] emphasizes that the presence of fireflies is not only important for nature, but also represents a sign for us humans that we are treating our environment in a natural way.

Promoting fireflies

So that the fireflies can continue to shine with us, there are a few tips to promote their habitat. Rarely mown meadows and shady deciduous hedges are an advantage. Avoiding insecticides, herbicides and slug pellets is also crucial because these harmful chemicals contribute to the decline of the firefly population. Their larvae, which take several years to mature, are useful “snail predators” and thus actively contribute to a healthy garden ecosystem.

Another factor that helps encourage fireflies is a reduction in artificial garden lighting. This can not only disturb the fireflies, but also undermine their reproduction. [My Beautiful Garden] explains that females sit on blades of grass and use their lights to attract males, who respond with their own lights. These lights usually appear in a cold, greenish light and the patterns vary depending on the species, creating a veritable display of color in the darkness.

A call for help

The fireflies are not only beautiful to look at, but also useful companions in every garden. The decline due to the use of pesticides is dramatic and has reached alarming proportions. That's why it's important that we all have a good hand for nature and garden organically. The more we work to create attractive habitats, the more fireflies we will find in our gardens and parks.

Get involved and report your sightings directly on the “Environmental Advisory” platform. In this way, together we can give the fireflies in Vienna a voice and celebrate their magical presence in our city. Today it is more important than ever to focus on treating our living spaces in a natural way.