Fireflies, commonly known as ‘lightning bugs’, are making an earlier than ever appearance in the region this year, reports the Washington Post.

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Midsummer nights, under the hot humid air, catching fireflies on the front lawn, are now arriving earlier. Peak season for fireflies in the D.C. area usually falls from mid-to-late June and early July, but in recent years, they’ve been spotted as early as early May.

The early visits of the lightning bugs and other insects are a result of a warmer climate. Recent trends also suggest the number of fireflies are increasing in the area.

“The earlier timing of insect appearance is now a fairly well-guided phenomenon in the [insect] world,” said Michael Raupp, professor of entomology at the University of Maryland to the Post. “It’s a broad-scale phenomenon across the country.”

Fireflies’ lifecycles move along with environmental cues, arriving when temperatures warm. They light up to attract mates–flashing faster with warmer temperatures.

(via the Washington Post)