Welcome back to Bug Club!

Things have really blown up for me these last two weeks! I can now confirm that I will be at Oswestry Town Young Traders Market on June 10th, and Oswestry Pride on June 27th! I'll go into more detail at the end of this email, but going from no markets ever, to two in the same month is quite jarring, in a good way!

By the time this email goes out, I'll have been to the Gathering of the North in Sherwood Forest with my friend and my partner! Dungeons and Dragons is one of my old special interests/hyperfixations, so yes, I will be dressing up for it :3

This coming week in the UK is looking to be the hottest so far this year, so make sure you keep cool, stay hydrated, and bee prepared to help any exhausted bees!

The Bug Spotlight!

The Keel Necked Firefly

Pyractomena ecostata

This firefly is native to North America, specifically the coasts of Florida, Alabama, Delaware, and New Jersey. It is a habitat specialist, meaning it can only thrive in specific environments, in this instance being brackish marshes and wet pastures.

Fireflies use their signature glow as a mating call - every firefly species has a unique flash pattern which can be used to identify them. The pattern of this species has been described as "sparks blown in the wind". The eggs of this species have never been observed, but it is estimated that they lay around 100 eggs that, like other species, are mildly bioluminescent. The larvae are known predators of snails.

Conservation Status

The IUCN lists this species as endangered, but it is not known how many individuals there are, or which way the population is trending. A lack of research seems to be the main problem with a lot of arthropod species, this one included - there have been no formal recordings of eggs or larvae of the Keel Necked Firefly, so most of the available information is based on other members of the Pyractomena genus.

The main threat to this species is the rising sea levels. As the firefly spends its larval stage in tidal areas, it doesn't take a radical change in sea level to disrupt its growth. Light pollution is another major factor - moonlight on its own is enough to reduce firefly activity, artificial light severely affects firefly communication and reproductive success.

The species is listed as a Tier 2 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Delaware, which, in theory, prioritises conservation efforts for it in that state, but no specific actions have taken place as of yet. It is still in great need of research before steps can be taken to try and save it.

What can I do to help?

Data gaps are the biggest barrier to conservation efforts for any species, so keep using free wildlife tracking apps like iNaturalist!

Light pollution is a major problem for species across the world in every taxonomy, not just bugs. In the case of fireflies, their activity peaks just after sunset, so something as small as leaving lights off for half an hour to an hour after the sun goes down could make a difference to nocturnal species. Unfortunately, we as the public don't have control over streetlight and headlight brightness, but I like to think that A) if everyone contributes just a tiny bit, we can still make a difference, and B) the people in charge will grow to be more climate conscious if we keep pushing it.

Extra Reading

Got a suggestion for the next Bug Spotlight, or comments and questions? Reply to this email!

Bug News!

Researches have begun cataloguing ground beetles, one of the most diverse species in the world, in a way that looks to speed up the process of naming and researching new species, thus paving the way for conservation efforts to take place faster in places like the Amazon!

The process has involved sequencing genomes and DNA from thousands of ground beetle species worldwide, resulting in new anatomical discoveries and links between families we never knew existed! So much of naming and describing a species relies on physical appearance, but this method puts appearances to the side and looks at only genetic data. This is a huge win for research data and conservation planning!

Extra Reading

Natural History Museum | Royal Entomological Society

Art Updates!

Good news and bad news: The bad news is that, because I've suddenly gotten so busy, I don't have the time this week to paint this week's bug, though I do plan on doing so in the weeks to come!

The good news is, of course, markets! I've been making so many purchases in preparation, panic painting to ensure I have enough stock for two markets in one month, and I've found a new sticker supplier which means I can lower my sticker pack prices AND offer individual stickers!

I have also reworked my website, I'm a lot happier with how it looks and it feels much more intuitive to navigate. I have also made an online commissions form, and opened pet portrait customs, starting at £40! I can also offer a 10% discount if you submit the form using the email you subscribed to the Bug Mail Club with!