Fireflies have garnered much public attention over the last few years as citizens and researchers alike have noted an apparent decrease in firefly activity compared to previous years

Federal Grant Award Summary

The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC) received a Formula Grant award of $171,437 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program (CFDA 15.634), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. The primary deliverable is a comprehensive statewide firefly diversity survey designed to document species distribution, population size, and habitat preferences across Arkansas. Given the absence of intensive statewide firefly surveys and documented concerns about declining firefly populations attributed to habitat destruction, pesticide use, and light pollution, this project will employ a combination of nighttime observation and specimen collection by a team of entomologists and community scientists to inventory the estimated 30 firefly species present in the state.

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture serves as a sub-recipient on this award, supporting the research and field survey efforts. The data generated through this project will inform conservation strategies by identifying critical geographic areas and habitats requiring preservation to maintain healthy firefly diversity. As a formula grant under the SWG Program, this award aligns with the program's objective of funding proactive conservation actions benefiting species of greatest conservation need identified in state Wildlife Action Plans, with particular emphasis on preventing species decline before protection under the Endangered Species Act becomes necessary.

Habitat destruction pesticide use and light pollution have been blamed for the decrease in firefly abundance but no intensive statewide surveys have been completed so IT is impossible to know whether fireflies are actually in a decline and if so what geographic areas and habitats should be preserved to maintain healthy firefly diversity. Arkansas hosts an estimated 30 species of firefly although most species are only represented by a few observations or specimen records. The proposed project will survey firefly diversity across the state utilizing a combination of nighttime observation and collection by a team of entomologists and community scientists gathering data on species distribution population size and habitat preferences for all species in the state.university of arkansas (division of agriculture) will be a subrecipient of this award.