DELMARVA - The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) is eyeing federal protections for a coastal insect on the brink of becoming an endangered species.
Named for the town it was first discovered in, the Bethany Beach firefly is a nocturnal beetle found in freshwater marshes near coastal dunes, or swales. These areas are located close to the Atlantic shorelines along all of Delmarva, according to FWS.
The species has been documented in three Delaware state parks, Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland, and three areas in Virginia including Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and NASA Wallops Flight Facility.
The fireflies are distinct from similar species with their smaller size, a black marking on their heads, and a distinctive flash pattern.
According to FWS, the fireflies’ populations are threatened by climate change and habitat availability. Rising tides and more frequent storms threaten the species’ habitats, with some climate models predicting up to 95% loss of swales through flooding by the year 2100.
Development, recreation, light pollution, pony grazing, pesticides, and invasive plant species also pose threats to the survival and viability of firefly populations.
Now, the FWS is proposing to list the species under the Federal Endangered Species Act to help protect it from further population decline. As part of the proposal, FWS is asking for any Bethany Beach firefly sightings to better understand its range and habitat needs. Anyone who believes to have seen one over the summer is asked to contact the Chesapeake Bay Field Office at 410-573-4599.
FWS is inviting the public to comment on the proposal until December 2, 2024. The proposal is available here, and comments can be made through regulations.gov under docket number FWS-R5-ES-2024-0080.
