Gifted Atlanta

I’ve been noticing fireflies in the evenings the past week or two. That reminds me, it’s time again for Firefly Watch.

This is a low-commitment, fun way to involve children in citizen science. If you can spend a minimum of 10 minutes a week observing fireflies in your back yard, you can take part in this project that helps Tufts University researchers track firefly populations across North America. It’s easy to do, and the web site lets  you compare your data with what observers in other regions are seeing.

Firefly Watch began in 2008 as a program of the Museum of Science in Boston. It’s now part of Mass Audubon. Participation is free.