This Firefly Phenomenon In Massachusetts Will Enchant You In The Best Way Possible

There’s nothing like walking through a cool meadow on a summer evening and watching the air light up with thousands of glowing fireflies. Massachusetts is lucky enough to have a healthy population of fireflies, but catching this illuminating phenomenon requires a bit of planning. Here’s where and when to spot the best and the brightest displays.

Flickr/Vincent Chien

It’s a little-known fact that almost no species of fireflies are found west of Kansas. This makes the fact that we have them in such abundance here in Massachusetts even more special. However, the occurrence of spectacular firefly shows is closely tied to the weather and local environment. Luckily, this year is promising to be one of the best for firefly spotting in over a decade.

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Flickr/Rachel Lovinger

So when you can expect the firefly phenomenon to strike? The photinus ignitis firefly, the kind that we have here in Massachusetts, is best observed between mid-June to late July. These glowing critters prefer the heat and dampness of early to mid-summer, and tend to be harder to spot once the scorching heat of August rolls around.

There are a few places in particular that are perfect for spotting fireflies in Massachusetts. These bugs like places that are warm, damp, and secluded.

Some of the most consistently actives places in Massachusetts include state and national parks like Nickerson State Park in Brewster, October Mountain State Forest in Washington, Cape Cod National Seashore (in the grassy meadows near the beach), and Douglas State Forest in Douglas.

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Flickr/Sam Weng

A word of caution: fireflies actually love the same kinds of environments that mosquitos crave, i.e. standing forest pools on muggy days. Be sure to wear bug spray if you don’t want to go home with more bites than memories.

You can participate in the Boston Museum of Science’s Firefly Watch program and learn more about fireflies in Massachusetts by clicking here. For more beautiful parks that are perfect for hunting glowing bugs, check out a list of our favorites here.