Colorado

Searching for Colorado’s little-known fireflies

Published

1 year ago

July 12, 2024

Searching for Colorado’s little-known fireflies

Banner image: Fireflies dance over a field near Sawhill Ponds in Boulder, Colorado. (Credit: Peleg Lab)

Owen Martin steps carefully through the knee-high grass growing up around a long-abandoned railroad track near Sawhill Ponds in Boulder, Colorado. It’s almost pitch black out. The sun set 45 minutes ago, and the only light now comes from the distant buzz of cars on Valmont Road.

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Or almost the only light. If you let your eyes adjust to the dark, you can just make out the twinkle from hundreds of faint specks. They flash on and off as if someone spilled yellow-green glitter across this empty field.

Martin, a doctoral student in computer science at CU Boulder, is hunting for fireflies.

“There’s one right there,” he says, holding up a butterfly net. “It’s leading me on a little chase.”

Many people who call Colorado home might be surprised to learn that fireflies (or lightning bugs, depending on who you ask) also live in the state. But, if you’re lucky, you might stumble on a few pockets of these insects lighting up the night. You just need to know when and where to look.

That’s what Martin and his advisor Orit Peleg are trying to figure out now. In a project that blends technology with natural history, researchers in Peleg’s lab have spent summers since 2018 traveling across the state in search of fireflies. They use 360-degree cameras to learn more about the insects, including the patterns they make with their flashes. In many ways, the team is in a race against time. In Colorado, as in other places around the world, firefly populations may be vanishing as a result of humans paving over wetland habitats and saturating the night sky with artificial light.

“Firefly flashes are like a little, secret language,” said Peleg, associate professor in the BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Computer Science. “They are very special, and we have a lot to learn from them.”

Introducing Colorado fireflies

It’s a new experience for Martin. The researcher grew up not far from this natural area in Louisville, Colorado, but had never seen a firefly at home until three years ago. He said that observing these animals in the wild is a “wonderous feeling.”

“It’s all dark, and you feel like the rest of the world isn’t there anymore,” he said. “You feel like you are floating in space, and there are all these stars moving around you.”

A male Photuris firefly coated in pollen sits on a thistle plant near the Boulder Reservoir. (Credit: Owen Martin)

A red light illuminates a man wearing a cap in the dark

Owen Martin uses a red light to examine a firefly in the field. (Credit: Owen Martin)

At Sawhill Ponds, he’s trapped one of those stars now. He gingerly moves the insect from his canvas net to a covered petri dish. The firefly is about a half-inch long, and you can just make out its orangish head and black wings. A light organ on the bug’s abdomen glows, flashing like the beacon from a lighthouse.

Fireflies belong to a family of beetles known as Lampyridae, and roughly 2,000 species of fireflies can be found across the globe. It’s not clear how many live in Colorado. The insects near Sawhill Ponds belong to a common genus called Photuris. The name roughly translates to “light terror” because female Photuris fireflies sometimes use flashes to lure in, then devour males from different species.

Entomology collections at the CU Museum of Natural History include specimens from Photuris and four other genera found in 19 Colorado counties—ranging from Yuma County in the northeast to Montezuma in the southwest. Martin himself has observed fireflies in the town of Divide, which sits near Pikes Peak at an altitude of more than 9,000 feet.

Still, there are good reasons why these luminous animals remain such a mystery in the state. Unlike fireflies in the eastern U.S., which can abound all summer long, Colorado fireflies tend to cluster in swampy areas and are active for just a few weeks per year—appearing in the second half of June, then disappearing again by mid-July. Martin’s research is supported through the President’s Teaching Scholars Program and Timmerhaus Fund Ambassadors at the University of Colorado and by the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.

“A lot of people here come from places like the Midwest where they’ve seen fireflies. But they don’t know about them in their own backyards,” said Martin, who wants to raise “firefly literacy” in the Front Range.

Speaking firefly

Part of that goal hinges on understanding their secret language, Peleg said.

She explained that male fireflies flash to attract females, which often remain hidden on the ground. Each firefly species, however, has its own, unique flash pattern.

“It’s like Morse code,” she said. “It’s this simple light on, light off signal, and that’s probably as close as it gets to computer language, ones and zeros, in the animal kingdom.”

To explore those patterns, her team uses 360-degree GoPro cameras to record fireflies in the wild. They then feed those recordings into computer programs that analyze the patterns. In recent research, for example, the group dug into the flashing behavior of fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee—where thousands of insects synchronize their displays so that they all flash in unison, bathing entire hillsides in light.

Peleg’s team found that these animals seem to achieve that feat by observing how their neighbors are flashing, then adjusting their behavior to match.

Martin is gathering similar insights into Colorado’s fireflies. Eventually, he and Peleg want to build a library of firefly flash patterns—a sort of Google Translate for insects. That way, people could record video of fireflies flashing, then automatically identify what species they’re looking at.

Protecting diversity

The researchers hope they can collect their data before it’s too late.

How you can help fireflies

Coloradans can help protect fireflies by following these tips from the Butterfly Pavillion:

Support land conservation and habitat restoration.
Stay on designated paths when visiting natural areas to avoid damaging their habitat.
Enjoy fireflies in the wild and don’t catch them.
Turn off unnecessary lights near their habitats in June through August.

Across the globe, research on fireflies remains scarce. But a growing number of hints suggests that some species may be disappearing.

In Colorado, artificial light is a major threat. Studies of fireflies from the eastern United States show that streetlights and other nighttime illumination can wash out the signals that fireflies are trying to communicate. It’s a bit like trying to carry on a conversation in the middle of a crowded bar. (Such “light pollution” can also make it more difficult to see the stars from Colorado).

But there are a number of actions people can take to protect vulnerable firefly habitats. Martin and Peleg invite curious Coloradans to volunteer to help out with the research project. A team at the Butterfly Pavillion near Denver is also raising adult fireflies from larvae, which could one day be released into the wild.

The potential of those actions is on display at Sawhill Ponds. There, a strange light has caught Martin’s attention. It’s a firefly, but one with an oddly orange-colored light.

After a few swipes of his net, the scientist captures the mysterious insect. It’s noticeably smaller than the Photuris bug he caught earlier. It’s a Pyractomena, a completely different firefly genus and one Martin has not recorded at this spot before.

“This could be very exciting,” he says.

The new insect is a reminder that scientists still have a lot to learn about fireflies in Colorado. Martin encourages everyone to get out and look.

“Turn your lights off,” he said. “Then, between the middle of June and the middle of July, try to take some walks at night in your local wetland areas and see if you can find some.”

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Colorado

Colorado mom, 6-year-old son found dead in Canyonlands National Park in apparent murder-suicide

Published

3 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Colorado mom, 6-year-old son found dead in Canyonlands National Park in apparent murder-suicide

A Colorado woman and her 6-year-old son were found dead in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah, this week in what appears to be a murder-suicide, law enforcement officials said.

Park rangers responded to a suspicious vehicle parked in a no-camping area near Shafer Trail in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, the San Juan County, Utah, Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Park rangers found an unresponsive 6-year-old boy in the vehicle and started life-saving measures, but the boy was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital.

The woman was found dead outside of the vehicle.

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Battle with the Blue Jackets | Colorado Avalanche

Published

15 hours ago

January 10, 2026

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Battle with the Blue Jackets | Colorado Avalanche

Columbus Blue Jackets (18-18-7) @ Colorado Avalanche (32-4-7)

2 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)

After a homestand-opening win on Thursday, the Avalanche hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets for Next Gen Night on Saturday. This is the second and final regular-season matchup between the teams in 2025-26, as the Avalanche defeated the Blue Jackets 4-1 in Columbus on October 16th.

A Big Night at Ball

Josh Manson recorded the first two-goal and four-point game of his career, along with a Gordie Howe hat trick, as the Avalanche defeated the Ottawa Senators 8-2 at Ball Arena on Thursday. Manson was one of five Avs to post at least three points on Thursday, alongside Nathan MacKinnon (1g/3a), Ross Colton (3a), Brock Nelson (2g/1a) and Cale Makar (1g/2a). Additionally, Brent Burns added a goal for Colorado while Scott Wedgewood stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced in net for the Avs. With the victory, the Avalanche extended its home win streak to 16 games.

At 10:11 of the first period, Manson opened the scoring with his third goal of the season via a shot from the point through traffic. MacKinnon doubled Colorado’s lead at 17:14 of the first period with his 36th goal of the season via a shot from the slot set up by Necas. The Avs took a 3-0 lead at 2:35 of the second period when Makar scored his 13th tally of the season via a left-circle shot after receiving a drop pass from MacKinnon. At 5:08 of the middle frame, Shane Pinto put the Senators on the board. The Senators momentarily made it 3-2 with 13:41 remaining in the second period, but the goal was disallowed after the Avs successfully challenged for offside. After the disallowed tally, the clock was reset to 13:48.

Necas gave the Avs a 4-1 lead on the power play at 11:46 of the second period with his 20th goal of the season via a sharp-angle one-timer from the bottom of the left circle set up by MacKinnon. At 12:03 of the middle frame, Burns made it 5-1 with his sixth goal of the season via a right-point shot through traffic. Nelson gave the Avs a 6-1 lead on a five-on-three power play at 14:23 of the second period with his 20th goal of the season via a right-circle one-timer set up by MacKinnon’s cross-ice feed. The Avalanche took a 7-1 lead at 16:48 of the middle frame when Manson scored his second goal of the game and fourth of the season via a one-timer from the point set up by Jack Drury’s feed. At 18:04 of the middle frame, Nelson scored his second tally of the game and 21st of the season via a right-circle one-timer set up by Ilya Solovyov’s feed from the left point. Brady Tkachuk made it 8-2 with a shorthanded goal from the doorstep at 7:03 of the third period.

Leading the Way

Nate the Great

MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals (36) and points (78) while ranking tied for third in assists (42).

All Hail Cale

Makar leads NHL defensemen in points (51) and assists (38) while ranking third in goals by blueliners (13). Among all NHL skaters, he’s seventh in assists.

Marty Party

Necas is seventh in the NHL in points (55) and tied for ninth in assists (35).

Series History

In 70 previous regular-season games against the Blue Jackets, the Avalanche has a record of 45-19-1-5.

Defeat on the Road

The Blue Jackets lost 5-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday. In the first period, Columbus took a 2-0 lead after goals from Boone Jenner at 8:24 and Kent Johnson at 10:41 before Reilly Smith put Vegas on the board at 12:20. The Golden Knights took a 4-2 lead after second-period goals from Smith at 5:19, Jack Eichel at 13:07 and Mark Stone on the power play at 18:44. Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets to make it 4-3 at 14:28 of the third period before Brett Howden gave the Golden Knights a 5-3 lead at 16:14 of the final frame.

Contributors Against Columbus

MacKinnon has posted 26 points (7g/19a) in 22 games against the Blue Jackets.

In nine contests against Columbus, Makar has registered 17 points (6g/11a).

Necas has recorded 21 points (4g/17a) in 26 games against the Blue Jackets.

Producing Offense for Ohio’s Team

Zach Werenski leads the Blue Jackets in points (46) and assists (30) while ranking tied for first in goals (16).

Marchenko is tied for the team lead in goals (16) while ranking second in points (35) and tied for second in assists (19).

Dmitri Voronkov is third on the Blue Jackets in points (28) and goals (15).

A Numbers Game

30

Colorado’s 30 five-on-five goals since December 19th (10 games) are the most in the NHL during that span.

63

The Avalanche’s 63 second-period goals lead the NHL.

3.94

Colorado’s 3.94 goals per game since December 1st lead the NHL during that span.

Quote That Left a Mark

“It was fun. I don’t think he’s ever seen that before. He’s seen me fight. He’s maybe seen me score. But I don’t think he’s ever seen—actually, nobody’s ever seen that before out of me in the NHL. So, it was a first for everybody, including myself.”

— Josh Manson on recording a Gordie Howe hat trick with his father, former NHLer Dave Manson, in attendance

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Colorado man heads to Washington, D.C., to gain support for Marshall Fire survivors

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

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Colorado man heads to Washington, D.C., to gain support for Marshall Fire survivors

Four years after the fire, recovery is still incomplete for some Marshall Fire victims. A Colorado man is joining wildfire survivors from across the country to push lawmakers to make changes and provide support for survivors still rebuilding.

Recently, a historic $640 million settlement was reached with Xcel Energy, but the Coloradans who lost everything in the Marshall Fire might not be receiving all the money that they’re owed. Some settlements could be taxed, while others were paid in full.

Benjamin Carter

“I was the fourth responding fire engine to the Marshall Fire. By the end of the night, I was triaging homes in the neighborhood that I grew up in,” said former firefighter Benjamin Carter. “I’ve seen how much the community’s hurting, and I just wanted to do whatever I could to help.”

Carter is now fighting for those who lost their homes, including his mother. He’s working with an organization called After the Fire, joining up with wildfire survivors in Oregon, Hawaii and California. This week, Carter flew to Washington, D.C., to speak with lawmakers about how they can help survivors rebuild.

In 2024, lawmakers passed the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, which exempted wildfire survivors from taxes on related settlements, among other tax relief. But the bill expired last week, shortly after Xcel agreed to settle over the Marshall Fire.

“If the people don’t have to pay taxes on the damages, then it helps them rebuild,” Carter explained. “Some of the smaller attorneys still haven’t received payment, so all those people will be subject to those taxes; all the attorney fees, and what the actual settlements end up being. And, of what they’re actually getting at the end of the day, that’s been a huge challenge.”

Congress has already proposed extension options. But Carter hopes that by sharing their stories, legislators will act before survivors lose anything else.

“With a lot going on in Washington and everything, the representatives don’t always know about all the issues. And so, we want to educate them on this issue and hopefully gain their support,” Carter said.

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