A peaceful corner of Massachusetts lit up with fireflies that were flying through a bed of native ferns, and the moment was caught on video and shared on Reddit.
In the post to r/NativePlantGardening titled "Fireflies waking up after a nap in the ferns," a Reddit user posted a short clip of the glowing fireflies twinkling through the greenery in their side yard. The post received over 4,700 upvotes and a flood of comments reminiscing about childhood summers and mourning the loss of these insects in other parts of the country.
They removed invasive plants from their shady lot and let the native ferns like lady fern and cinnamon fern take over.
"All I really did was remove the invasives. There already was a decent population here before but they exploded with some room to grow. Lady ferns and cinnamon ferns seem to spread the fastest. They also love damp humus rich soil," they wrote.
Small changes like mowing less, leaving leaves, and reducing artificial light can restore critical habitat for wildlife. The glow-in-the-dark moment is a true testament to the benefits of rewilding your yard with native plants that are tailored to your gardening zone.
Swapping out turf for low-maintenance alternatives like clover, buffalo grass, xeriscaping, or native wildflowers can cut down on water use, lower monthly bills, and give you more time back. Creating the kind of space where fireflies and pollinators can thrive is an opportunity for both you and wildlife to enjoy nights like the one in the video. Switching to a natural lawn isn't just food for the environment, but also for the soul.
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Native lawns play a crucial role in supporting pollinators, which helps to protect our food supply and strengthen local ecosystems. Even if you don't want a full replacement, even a partial replacement can help your local ecosystem and draw in more wildlife. These changes can be made yourself in order to upgrade your yard and outdoor experience.
"I didn't realize how lucky I was to see them until I made this post," the OP wrote.
"This is BEAUTIFUL!!! I love your ferns," another commenter added. "I'm hoping to have a smaller version of something like this eventually in my suburban yard. People buy all kinds of fairy lights for their yards and to think they could have something just like this if they would just stop spraying pesticides."
"I haven't seen fireflies in decades," a third commenter shared. "Thank you for posting this!"
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