Mass Audubon Firefly Watch

  Prior to participating in the project there was no formal training needed. However, the tutorial video offered on their website was very helpful and I would consider it necessary to view before seriously participating. The video can be found here . The video covers the different species of fireflies, their history, their behaviors, and covers the layout and expected contributions for recording observations. While the video is rather long (over 2 hours), the tutorial is needed to understand the project and accurately record observations. Without watching the video, one could mistake flashing patterns or miss out on recording important information like pulse durations and flash pattern intervals, which are not listed on the Firefly Watch Observation Form but can be added under additional field notes. I began the project on July 2, 2021, around 6 p.m., as I explored the homepage and watched the tutorial video. The video inspired me to pay closer attention to fireflies and helped m...

  The user experience for Firefly Watch is fairly simple and the website has everything well sorted. Users of Firefly Watch can quickly access additional resources to further information and studies on fireflies, have a quick sign on before recording observations, and have the ability to edit and view all their submissions. Although the overall user experience is good, I believe it could be improved upon. When submitting important observations such as identification of species or sex, pulse durations, or other important observations, there is no selection box, and the information has to be written out in additional field notes. The training video on their website  mentions Firefly Pro. Firefly Pro was described to have further observational tools available but I could not find the application. Also, iNaturalist can be used in association with Firefly Watch but I found it difficult to use on my iPhone and could only load pictures with a brief description of the species. Firef...

  The data I collect goes into a database where researchers from Mass Audubon and Tufts University can track observations. Those researchers can use the data collected to see where certain fireflies are geographically located and to see how environmental factors affect fireflies. Firefly Watch gives users and the public the ability to view data collected. Their webpage offers an interactive map showing the locations of fireflies that users have observed throughout North America. Also, there is the ability to look at an excel sheet with data collected over previous years. Data collected from Firefly Watch can be collected here . Firefly Watch’s design is easy enough to use for almost anyone, which allows the best possibilities for accurate and plentiful data to be collected. Users can pinpoint their locations through an interactive map and have the ability to leave important observations made though additional field notes. Even if users don’t know what specific species they’re vi...

 Fireflies are amazing creatures that can light up the night sky and stun those watching by what appears to be magical. North America is home to over 150 species of fireflies, with the main groups that flash in North America being the Photinus ,  Pyractomena,  and  Photuri (1). The light they display for communicating comes from a chemical reaction created in their lower abdomen. While not all male fireflies light up the sky, many do for the purpose of finding a mate (2). Fireflies begin their lives as larvae and consume snails, earthworms, and other invertebrates. They could spend years as larvae before developing into full fledge adult fireflies, and by that time they’re focused on mating and usually left with a few weeks of life (2). Most female fireflies in North America don’t fly and rest on plants while waiting to flash their receptive light to the right partner (1). Fireflies come out during the warm summer months and there can be 10 or more species all fla...

  I began Mass Audubon Firefly Watch because fireflies have always interested me, and I remember running after them when I was a child. I grew up calling them lightening bugs and realized later in life they were actually beetles, which Mass Audubon also clarifies. The citizen science project Firefly Watch helps identify different species of fireflies, potential harms, and offers a way to map out specific behaviors and species of fireflies throughout North America. Mass Audubon’s main webpage for Firefly Watch notes how the project can specifically help scientists “learn about the geographic distribution of fireflies and what environmental factors impact their abundance (1).” The project began in 2008 and has numerous experienced firefly researchers all collaborating together and running the project. The list of those researchers can be found here . I participated in the project by providing observations of fireflies within my local community. The project required me to accuratel...