Fireflies Suddenly Disappearing, IPB Expert Reveals Signs of Disaster

Fireflies are becoming increasingly rare and difficult to find. This phenomenon has also been felt by a number of netizens who complain about the difficulty of finding the glowing insects in the wild. It turns out this phenomenon is related to environmental quality. Kesumawati Hadi, a lecturer and entomology researcher from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SKHB) at IPB University, said that fireflies are a reflection of an ecosystem’s health. “Fireflies are bioindicators, organisms whose presence or absence can reflect the health of an ecosystem. When environmental quality deteriorates, their population will quickly shrink or even disappear,” she explained, quoted from the official IPB University website on Thursday (25/6/2026). The phenomenon of declining firefly populations is also occurring globally. Data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) records that 11-20% of firefly species are in a threatened condition. Several species in the mangrove areas of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are also classified as vulnerable. Habitat destruction is cited as the main factor causing the decline in firefly populations. The conversion of green land, swamps, and rice fields into settlements and industry has caused the animals’ living spaces to disappear. Another factor is light pollution from overly bright LED lamps, which disrupts the fireflies’ mating process. Artificial light makes it difficult for male fireflies to detect light signals from females, causing them to fail to reproduce. The use of chemical insecticides, climate change causing drought, the concreting of irrigation channels, and urbanisation are also factors causing fireflies to be rarely seen. Fireflies can still be found in places that are damp, have minimal light pollution, and are free from contamination. Examples include mangrove areas, natural riverbanks, swamps, traditional rice fields, organic plantations, and damp tropical forest floors. With this phenomenon, future generations risk not being able to see fireflies directly and may only know them from books, museums, or broadcasts. Therefore, the public needs to take several simple steps to protect the environment. One way is not to cover the entire yard with concrete. Additionally, people can reduce the use of overly bright outdoor lights, utilise organic fertiliser, and maintain the cleanliness of rivers and waterways.