How to Raise Fireflies

Capture female fireflies before they lay their eggs and put them in a large container, such as a jar. Provide soil for them to bury the eggs in, since female fireflies bury eggs. They are not available to purchase and unless you see where the females lay the eggs, they are challenging to find after being laid.

Place the eggs in a petri dish with a moistened cotton pad and soil. Close the lid to maintain humidity and keep the eggs from drying out. They hatch in approximately two to four weeks, depending on the specific species.

Bake some red clay soil at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria which might infect and kill the firefly larvae. Allow it to cool. Red clay soil is typically found in southern states slightly below or even at the top of the soil. It is less common further north, so you might need to ask a friend to send some red clay soil if they live in the south. If you cannot find the soil or are unable to get it, dig about a foot beneath the surface and use the more clay-like soil instead. Fill up a petri dish with the soil and add about 0.27 ounces of purified water. Transfer the larvae to the new petri dish. Purified water is added to make the clay soil moist for the larvae to prevent drying out.

Place pieces of earthworms in the petri dish at night. The larvae will come and feed on the worm pieces. Alternatively, put in snails or small insects like fruit flies.

Set the fireflies free when they reach the adult stage, which is usually by the beginning of summer or end of spring.