It was only recently that Chad Schwartz noticed his first fireflies of the year around the Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Slatington.

It was a bit later than when they usually make their first summer appearance, noted Schwartz, the center’s executive director.

“This was likely due to the lack of rainfall in May and early June. Fireflies are negatively impacted by drought conditions,” he said.

Spotting the fireflies - or lighting bugs, as many call them - is often one of the first summer rites of passage.

And through the Firefly Watch Community Science Project, individuals can help researchers at Mass Audubon learn more about the beetles.

To participate, you don’t need to be a scientist or well-versed in nature. You simply need to spend at least 10 minutes outside once a week to observe fireflies in one location. It could be a backyard or a park, or any other habitat.

Mass Audubon, headquartered in Lincoln, Massachusetts, also asks participants to record the habitat type, temperature, precipitation, wind, cloud cover and any artificial light presence.

“The goal of Firefly Watch is very simple. We want people to learn a bit about fireflies, and in doing that we hope they will learn more about their local environment and the habitats that support local insects (and other fauna and flora),” said Alexandra “Alex” Dohan, Firefly Watch coordinator. “Once people begin to learn more about the natural systems in their area, they are more often than not motivated to protect the wild spaces and the critters that live there. It’s a fun and easy way to get into science.”

The watch began in 2008 at the Boston Museum of Science, and was taken over by Mass Audubon in 2017. Dohan said the data collection program is basic and the only questions are: “Did you see fireflies, and how many?”

Ashlyn Thomas, 17, a volunteer at the Lehigh Gap Nature, created a display on fireflies for the center’s recent Pollinator Day.

“While working on my display, I was learning a lot on the go. What I found really put into perspective just how neglected fireflies are in conservation - even though they are treasured for their bioluminescence. None of the 150 firefly species in North America are legally protected, with at least a third of them being endangered,” said Thomas, a 2023 graduate of Northampton Area High School who’ll be majoring in Wildlife Management and Conservation at Delaware Valley University.

She plans to participate in the Firefly Watch even though she sees very few in her Northampton neighborhood.

“Of course, this is still viable data for the Firefly Watch project, so I will still be submitting it,” Thomas said.

Dohan said Mass Audubon has thousands of data points from years of public submissions.

“The summer of 2020 was a big year for data collection, as folks could participate from their own homes and/or in a ‘socially distant’ way, and many of those who started collecting data during that first COVID summer have stuck with us,” she said. “There are still lots of fireflies out there, even though they seem to be declining in some locations.”

Schwartz sees fireflies at places other than the nature center; he said they tend to prefer moisture, darkness, and native vegetation.

“Fireflies also need leaf litter. Aside from providing shelter for larvae and adults, leaf litter is home to the invertebrates that fireflies eat,” he said.

Schwartz sees the Firefly Watch as a way for everyone to contribute to real-world scientific research.

“By reporting firefly observations, we can provide scientists with a better understanding of firefly population trends. This research not only helps scientists to learn more about fireflies and their habitat preferences, but it also sheds light on the health of their populations. This, in turn, can reflect the health of the environment as a whole,” he said.

Dohan said participating is easy.

“Do it!” she said. “It’s a great way to broaden your horizons and learn about something new - or gain new knowledge about something that has interested you, if you are one of those many folks who remember chasing fireflies as a kid.”

To participate, visit www.massaudubon.org and search “firefly.”