Activity Period and Flash Signal
Adults are active from early June to late July, before summer monsoons, and communicate using a green flash/answer routine.
The Southwest spring firefly is found in Arizona.
The Southwest spring firefly can be found in montane desert habitats in Arizona at elevations ranging from 4000-6000 feet. This includes habitats in the Madrean sky islands and surrounding foothills and stream canyons, where it is associated with marsh areas and other ephemeral habitats along permanent streams, including seeps and areas with standing water.
- IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
- NatureServe status: G2G3T2T3 - Imperiled, SNR (Arizona)
- U.S. Endangered Species Act status: Petitioned for listing in March 2023
The main threats to this species are climate change and habitat loss and degradation due to cattle grazing and modification for agriculture and pasturing. However, light pollution is also of concern.
- We need to know more about the distribution of this subspecies. Report your Arizona firefly sightings to the Firefly Atlas!
- Turn off your outdoor lights at night so the lights of this firefly aren’t diminished by light pollution. You can read more about firefly-friendly lighting in our fact sheet.
- Avoid pesticide use, which could harm this firefly, its habitat, or its prey.
- More research on population size and trend, habitats and ecology, and threats is needed for this subspecies.
Candace Fallon, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, based on the IUCN Red List assessment
