‘It’s magical’: Utah farm helps people to experience fireflies while advocating for the lightning bug
Jun 11, 2026, 3:59 PM
Fireflies at the Thompson Century Farm. (Leon Clayton, courtesy of Diane Garcia)
(Leon Clayton, courtesy of Diane Garcia)
SALT LAKE CITY — Fireflies have been documented in 28 of Utah’s 29 counties. Despite that fact, most people say they’ve never seen one.
Thompson Century Farm owner Diane Thompson Garcia said that’s probably because most people don’t go out into dark marshy areas at 10 o’clock at night in June.
Garcia’s farm has been in her family since 1852. The farm, just under 24 acres, is home to a population of fireflies that have been documented to live there for the past 100 years.
“My dad grew up here on the farm and he always saw them. My grandfather grew up here on the farm. He was born in 1894, I believe,” Garcia said. “He grew up here and he always saw them. And to them, they were, it was just, you know, part of the farm, right?”
Garcia said she offers free tours to people who volunteer to help on the farm. Volunteers help to set up solid wood fencing and they plant trees to block the light so the fireflies can thrive.
“It is magical to see people, adults and children, see a firefly for the first time and be able to have it fly right in front of their face and be out in a field immersed in nature,” Garcia said.
Tours usually start in April or May, and are given throughout the whole month of June, but this year Garcia said tours were able to start as early as February due to Utah’s unusually warm winter.
Three things to thrive
According to Garcia, bioluminescent bugs need three things to thrive.
- Moist soil
- Long grass
- Dark skies
However, it can be especially hard to find dark skies in a world full of artificial light.
“I would like more awareness and it’s happening, more awareness for dark skies,” Garcia said.
Garcia said she has been working with lawmakers and city leaders to advocate for protections for the fireflies.
“I need something to say, within 1/4 of a mile of a firefly population, absolutely dark sky lighting, absolutely the things that will help preserve that and keep that,” Garcia said.
She said the most important tool is getting people out to see the lightening bugs themselves.
“I try to educate people, to get them excited,” Garcia explained. “And when you come and have a firefly right there in front of you, it solidifies and you become an advocate.”
Garcia said she has had Sen. John Curtis and Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson on the farm as guests.
“I’ve had John Curtis out last year… (he) got to drive the mules and experience that. I’ve had the lieutenant governor out, Deidre, and county commissioners and city councilmembers from other cities,” Garcia said. “I have a city councilman from West Jordan that has come and that keeps in contact with me because he wants to promote that in his city and his community to have the dark sky light.”
Garcia said keeping the skies dark wouldn’t just benefit the fireflies, but other plants and animals as well. Including people.
“A few years ago I had a mother with two kids come out for a firefly tour, and the little boy went out in the field, and a few minutes later he came back and he was crying. And I thought he was crying because he hadn’t caught a firefly yet. And his mom said, ‘no, he’s crying because he had never seen the stars.,'” Garcia explained. “He was born and raised in Salt Lake, lived in the city, never been camping, never been out. And when he looked up and saw the immense darkness and the skies and the stars and everything, he literally was overcome with emotion.”
Garcia advised people who want to see fireflies to check out a map the University of Utah’s Natural History Museum has published, which shows all the areas fireflies have been spotted in the state.
Read more: When and where to go see fireflies in Utah
