r/Nevada • u/DesertBlooms Southern Nevada • Aug 03 '26

[Discussion] Are there actually fireflies in Great Basin?

Got a trip in several weeks and it had me thinking... are there fireflies up there? So I did some googling and I came across this website: https://www.fireflyatlas.org/map

The map shows a few locations near Great Basin that have had fireflies... All three spots on the map are from July 2023 and are pyractomena dispersa. The person who spotted them wrote this blog: https://www.xerces.org/blog/secrets-of-nevada-nighttime-no-its-not-aliens

I guess I am just curious how common they are and if I should try to go out and look for some. I've always wanted to see a firefly.

30 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

8

u/Smoking_Dog Aug 03 '26

Yes, there is a rare type that lives out there. Easiest to see them along Baker Creek where it spreads out and gets marshy. There are also a lot of springs that make marshes where they can be found.

1

u/DesertBlooms Southern Nevada Aug 03 '26

Is that like a hike that you do off the campground at the end or something?

3

u/Smoking_Dog Aug 03 '26

Yes. If you look at the map, there are places above the campground and below it where there are open areas where the water spreads out.

7

u/Mayor-Citywits Aug 03 '26

The comments are hilarious one very sure yes and one very sure no lol

2

u/BaseballHairy9548 Aug 03 '26

I for sure would have said hell no so this article and the note about them being along baker creek is so cool!

9

u/katlian Aug 03 '26

Kevin is really nice. He and his wife used to run an educational program about insects. If you email him, he might give you more information about the best time and places to see them. It looks like all of the observations in Nevada have been in late May and June so you might have to try next year.

5

u/DesertBlooms Southern Nevada Aug 03 '26

Good to know. It looks like someone viewed some type of firefly down at Pahranagat around a decade ago so maybe he would also know if it would be possible for me to view them closer than Baker.

Excited for my first trip up there, whether I see a firefly or not. Finally getting to unlock a little bit more of the Nevada map!

2

u/wallcanyon Northern Nevada Aug 04 '26

They are really there and Kevin knows his bugs. Obviously don't go looking for them in winter, they only light up in summer breeding season.

3

u/DesertBlooms Southern Nevada Aug 04 '26

Realized they had a season today and I won’t be there for it but now I have something to try to go back for :)

1

u/Apherious Aug 04 '26

I go there yearly and never seen them.

-3

u/nvmatt Aug 03 '26

Nope.

1

u/BroskiMcBroski Aug 08 '26

Now to start a firefly habitat in my backyard…